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AlarmsandEvents

SYSTEM CONFIGURATION GUIDE

PUBLICATION FTAE-RM001G-EN-E–August 2014
Supersedes Publication FTAE-RM001F-EN-E
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Version: 2.70.00 (CPR 9 SR 7)

Modified: July 28, 2014 2:45 pm
 Contents

Contents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .iii
Preface What you need to get started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Required software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Recommended hardware and supported operating systems. . . . . . . . . . 2
Logix5000 controllers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Compatible firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Older controllers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
How to get the information you need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Chapter 1 Overview of FactoryTalk Alarms and Events services . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Choosing between HMI Tag Alarm Monitoring and FactoryTalk Alarms and
Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Where to start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
FactoryTalk Alarms and Events components. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
About monitoring for alarm conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
About software-based alarm monitoring. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
About device-based alarm monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Choosing between tag-based and device-based alarm monitoring . . . . 14
Graphic objects in FactoryTalk Alarms and Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Chapter 2 Plan your system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Decide what type of application you are building . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Decide what type of alarm monitoring you need. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
What you need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Follow these steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Install and activate FactoryTalk software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Typical stand-alone system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Install FactoryTalk software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Install Microsoft SQL Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Chapter 3 Define device-based alarms in Logix5000 controllers . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Alarm buffering during loss of connection to the controller . . . . . . . . 21
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Before you begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

What you need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Follow these steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Define a digital alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Configure the alarm and download to the controller . . . . . . . . . . 24
Define an analog alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Configure the alarm and download it to the controller . . . . . . . . . 34

Chapter 4 Add a device server for Logix5000, PLC-5, or SLC 500 controllers . . 47
Before you begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
What you need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Follow these steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Add a device server. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Chapter 5 Add an OPC Data Server for third-party controllers . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Before you begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
What you need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Follow these steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Add an OPC Data Server to an application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Chapter 6 Add a tag-based alarm server for Logix5000, PLC-5, SLC 500, or third-
party controllers61
Before you begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
What you need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Follow these steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Create an application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Add a data server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Add a Tag Alarm and Event Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Define alarm conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Next steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

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Chapter 7 Set up graphic displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Before you begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
What you need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Follow these steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Create a graphic display. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Create an Alarm and Event Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Create an Alarm and Event Banner display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Create a startup macro for the Banner display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Use color animation to indicate alarm state changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Next steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Chapter 8 Monitor and interact with alarms at run time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Before you begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
What you need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Follow these steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Create and then run a FactoryTalk View Client configuration . . . . . . . 99
Monitor alarms and events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Security for alarms and events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Acknowledge an alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Disable or enable an alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Suppress or unsuppress an alarm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Shelve or unshelve an alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Chapter 9 Set up historical alarm and event logging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

Before you begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
What you need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Follow these steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Confirm that the Microsoft SQL Server software is installed . . . . . . . 122
Add a database definition to your FactoryTalk system . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Associate a database definition with an alarm server . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Create an Alarm and Event Log Viewer display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Create a button to open the Alarm and Event Log Viewer display . 131
Create a startup macro for the Menu Bar display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
View historical alarm data in a FactoryTalk View SE Client . . . . . . . . 137

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Run the application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

Chapter 10 Configure redundancy for alarms and events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

FactoryTalk server redundancy can be configured for:. . . . . . . . . . . 143
Develop and test your application without redundancy . . . . . . . . . . 143
Before you begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
What you need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Follow these steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Upgrade an existing device-based alarm server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Upgrade an existing tag-based alarm server. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Check the status of an alarm server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151

Appendix A Getting started with language switching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

Before you begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
What you need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Follow these steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Create device-based alarm messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Translate alarm messages using import and export. . . . . . . . . . . 156
Translate alarm messages in RSLogix 5000 v.16 or earlier . . . . . . 156
Translating alarm messages using RSLogix 5000 v. 17 or later. . . . 159
Create tag-based alarm messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Entering text strings in FactoryTalk View Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Add languages to the application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Add buttons to a graphic display to switch languages at run time . . . 168
Enter alarm messages in other languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Create a Display Client configuration file to test alarm messages . . . 182
Test alarm messages at run time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Summary and tips for setting up language switching . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Text that supports language switching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Text that does not support language switching . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Alarm and Event Summary and Alarm and Event Banner . . . . . . . 189

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Alarm and Event Log Viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190

Appendix B System performance and limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191

Controller specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Controllers with revision 20 or earlier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Tested system limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Tested topology: redundant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193

Appendix C Install FactoryTalk Alarms and Events manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195

Summary of steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Step 1: Confirm that FactoryTalk Services Platform is installed . . . . . 196
Step 2: Install FactoryTalk Alarms and Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196

Appendix D Install Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 SP2 Express. . . . . . . . . . . . . 197

Operating systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Summary of steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Step 1: Open the FTView folder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Step 2: Install the .NET Framework and other prerequisite software . 199
.NET Framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
MSXML6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Windows Installer 4.5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Windows Powershell 1.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Step 3: Run the SQL Server Install batch file (not the .exe) . . . . . . . 201
Step 4: Configure the Windows firewall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202

Appendix E Use an existing Microsoft SQL Server database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203

Supported SQL Server databases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Remote connections to the SQL Server database. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Summary of steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Step 1: Install Microsoft SQL Server Management Tools . . . . . . . . 204
Step 2: Specify Mixed Mode authentication for the SQL Server database
205
Step 3: Configure TCP/IP protocol for the database . . . . . . . . . . 205
Step 4: Enable the SQL Server Browser service . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Step 5: Configure the Windows Firewall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207

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Appendix F Alarm time stamping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209

Overview of Logix clocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Coordinated System Time (CST) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Local Time (Wall Clock Time). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
FactoryTalk Alarms and Events: features for alarm monitoring . . . . . 212
ALMD and ALMA alarm blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215

Appendix G Time synchronization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217

Coordinating multiple controllers’ wall clocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Install the Logix5000 Clock Update Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Start the Logix5000 Clock Update Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Starting the Update Tool automatically . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Using the Logix5000 Clock Update Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Create a synchronization schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Remove a synchronization schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Modify a synchronization schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Enable or disable a synchronization schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Add devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Remove a device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
View details about a device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Assign devices to synchronization schedules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Synchronize devices manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
View the log file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Change the location of the log file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Time stamps with tag-based alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Supported devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227

Appendix H Reference for building a distributed system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229

Installing FactoryTalk Alarms & Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Typical distributed system on a network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229

Appendix I Language identifiers for language switching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231

Language identifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231

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 Preface

What you need to get started

The FactoryTalk System Configuration Guide describes the tasks that are required to
install, configure, and use FactoryTalk Alarms and Events services as part of a
FactoryTalk-enabled automation system. This guide also includes references to
additional documentation that provides more detail.
This guide describes how to set up a local station application. However, the
procedure for setting up a network station application or network distributed
application is similar. This guide provides information about the latter two
applications where it is necessary. See the Help for the individual software products
used to configure and use Alarms and Events services.

Required software
The following software is required to configure and operate FactoryTalk Alarms and
Events services:

Software Version

FactoryTalk Services Platform 2.10 or later

FactoryTalk Alarms and Events 2.10 or later (included with FactoryTalk View
Site Edition and RSLinx Enterprise)
RSLinx Enterprise 5.00 or later
RSLogix 5000 16.03 or later
Logix Designer 21.00 or later
RSLogix 500 (optional) version that supports FactoryTalk Services
Platform 2.10 or later
RSLogix 5 (optional) version that supports FactoryTalk Services
Platform 2.10 or later
FactoryTalk View Site Edition 5.00 or later
FactoryTalk View Studio 5.00 or later
RSLinx Classic (used for Logix 2.50.20 or later
programming)
ControlFLASH 4.00.09 (used to download firmware)
SoftLogix (optional) 16.03 or later

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Software Version

Microsoft SQL Server Version that supports FactoryTalk Alarms and

Events historical logging. For more
information, see Appendix E, “Supported
SQL Server databases”.
SQL Server 2008 R2 SP2 Express is provided
on the FactoryTalk View installation DVD for
CPR 9 SR 7. For installation instructions, see
Appendix D, “Install Microsoft SQL Server
2008 R2 SP2 Express”

Recommended hardware and supported operating systems

The hardware and supported operating systems that are recommended to run
FactoryTalk Alarms and Events are the same as hardware and operating systems that
are recommended to run FactoryTalk View Site Edition. For details, see FactoryTalk
View Site Edition Installation Guide. To open it, in FactoryTalk View Studio, click the
Help menu, select Online Books, and then click Installation Guide.

Logix5000 controllers
The Logix5000 controllers listed in the following table, support FactoryTalk Alarms
and Events services. When you use built-in alarm instructions in Logix5000
controllers, these controllers require a firmware update to a revision between 16.20
and 20. If you do not want to update the firmware in your controllers, use a Tag Alarm
and Event Server for software-based alarms and events. See “Decide what type of
alarm monitoring you need” on page 16.
Catalog number Name
1756-L61 ControlLogix Processor
1756-L62 ControlLogix Processor
1756-L63 ControlLogix Processor
1756-L64 ControlLogix Processor
1756-5555 5555 ControlLogix Processor
1768-L43 CompactLogix L43 Controller
1769-L31 CompactLogix L31 Controller
1769-L32C CompactLogix L32C Controller
1769-L32E CompactLogix L32E Controller
1769-L35CR CompactLogix L35CR Controller
1769-L35E CompactLogix L35E Controller
1794-L34 FlexLogix L34 Controller
1756-L61S ControlLogix Safety Processor
1756-L62S ControlLogix Safety Processor

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Preface

Catalog number Name

PowerFlex 700S 2 DriveLogix5370
1789-L60 SoftLogix5800
EMULATE RSLogix Emulate 5000

Compatible firmware
The controller firmware revisions listed in the following table, are compatible with
FactoryTalk Alarms and Events services:
Controller Firmware revision
ControlLogix
CompactLogix L3x and L4x 16.20 to 20
DriveLogix
ControlLogix Redundant Systems 16.60 to 20
SoftLogix 16.03 to 20

Older controllers
These controllers also support FactoryTalk Alarms and Events services:
 Logix5000 controllers that communicate with RSLinx Enterprise, using Tag
Alarm and Event Servers
 PLC-5 and SLC 500 controllers that communicate with RSLinx Enterprise (or
RSLinx Classic to bridge from Ethernet to DH+ or DH-485 networks), using Tag
Alarm and Event Servers
 Third-party PLCs that communicate with OPC Data Servers such as KEPWare,
using Tag Alarm and Event Servers

How to get the information you need

For more information about the products and components discussed in this guide, the
following manuals and Help files are available:
 FactoryTalk Help (Start > All Programs > Rockwell Software > FactoryTalk
Tools > FactoryTalk Help)
 RSLogix 5000 Online Help (for help with developing a controller project)
 RSLogix 5000 Quick Start
 RSLogix 5000 Online Books
 FactoryTalk View Site Edition Installation Guide (Available from the Help
menu when you run FactoryTalk View Site Edition.)

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FactoryTalk Alarms and Events System Configuration Guide

 FactoryTalk View Site Edition User’s Guide (Available from the Help menu
when you run FactoryTalk View Site Edition.)
 RSLinx Classic Online Help (for help with configuring drivers and creating
topics)
 RSLinx Classic Quick Start Guide
 RSLinx Enterprise Getting Results Guide
 RSLinx Enterprise Online Help

4
 Chapter 1

Overview of FactoryTalk Alarms and Events services

FactoryTalk®Alarms and Events was introduced with FactoryTalk Service Platform
2.0 (CPR 9) and FactoryTalk View Site Edition 5.0 (CPR 9) to provide a common,
consistent view of alarms and events throughout a FactoryTalk system. Beginning
with FactoryTalk Alarms and Events 2.30 (CPR 9 SR 3), device-based and tag-based
servers support redundant server configuration.
FactoryTalk View Site Edition HMI tag alarm monitoring is still supported to maintain
compatibility with existing applications.
FactoryTalk Alarms and Events supports two types of alarm monitoring:
 Device-based alarm monitoring. Built-in alarm instructions, that are available in
RSLogix 5000 v. 16 or later, are programmed in a logic project and then
downloaded to a Logix5000 controller. The controller detects alarm conditions
and publishes event information, which can be displayed and logged.
 Tag-based alarm monitoring. If you are not using Logix5000 controllers, or if
you do not want to use the built-in alarm instructions that are available with
RSLogix 5000, tag-based alarm monitoring offers the equivalent of HMI tag
alarm monitoring, but with an expanded feature set. Software-based Tag Alarm
and Event servers monitor controllers for alarm conditions through data servers
and publish event information that can be displayed and logged. Tag-based alarm
monitoring is supported for Logix5000 controllers, PLC-5, and SLC 500 devices
communicating through Rockwell Automation device servers (RSLinx
Enterprise), or for third-party controllers communicating through OPC Data
Servers.
FactoryTalk Alarms and Events:
 Provides a single, integrated set of alarm information. All participating
FactoryTalk products work together to provide a consistent way to define,
manage, log, and view alarm and event information across a FactoryTalk
application.
 Streamlines alarm programming and eliminates polling with device-based
alarm monitoring. If your automation system includes Logix5000 controllers,
you can use pre-built alarm instructions, available in RSLogix 5000 v. 16 or later,
to simplify coding, and then download them to the controller. Device-based alarm
monitoring eliminates the need for duplicating alarm tags in an HMI server and
requires fewer controller communication resources by eliminating polling.
 Supports other controllers in the integrated system with tag-based alarm
monitoring. If your automation system includes other Rockwell Automation
controllers, such as PLC-5s or SLC 500s, or if you prefer not to use the new alarm
instructions with Logix5000 controllers, software-based tag servers monitor
controllers for alarm conditions and publish event information.

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FactoryTalk Alarms and Events System Configuration Guide

 Monitors alarms and events from third-party controllers. Tag-based alarm

monitoring also makes it possible to monitor alarm conditions from third-party
controllers, which communicate through OPC Data Servers.
 Provides accurate time stamps on alarm conditions that are generated from
Logix5000 controllers using device-based alarm monitoring. When you use
device-based alarm monitoring, timestamps are applied immediately in the
controller and are not delayed until alarms reach an HMI server. To make sure that
the timestamps on device-based alarms are accurate, synchronize the clocks of all
controllers that produce alarms. The event time is propagated throughout the
FactoryTalk Alarms and Events system, so inaccurate timestamps can affect
where alarms are displayed in the Alarm and Event Summary or the Alarm and
Event Banner as well as reports about the alarm and event history. For more
information about synchronizing controller clocks, see Appendix G, “Time
synchronization”.)
 Sends process data with events and messages. You can associate up to four
tags with each alarm to include process data with event information and alarm
messages.
 Secures access to alarm and event operations through integration with
FactoryTalk Security.
 Generates messages for logging, including audit messages that track operator
actions, system-related diagnostic messages, and historical alarm and event
messages.
 Displays alarm messages and status information at run time, from FactoryTalk
View graphic displays.

Choosing between HMI Tag Alarm Monitoring and FactoryTalk

Alarms and Events
HMI tag alarm monitoring and FactoryTalk Alarms and Events are two separate alarm
monitoring systems that do not share alarm information with each other. FactoryTalk
tag-based and device-based alarm information can only be displayed in the
FactoryTalk alarm and event objects. FactoryTalk View HMI tag alarm information
cannot be displayed in FactoryTalk alarm and event objects.
If you are already using HMI tag alarm monitoring in existing applications you can
continue using it. However, to take advantage of the new features of FactoryTalk
Alarms and Events you will need to migrate your existing alarm monitoring system to
FactoryTalk Alarms and Events.

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1 • Overview of FactoryTalk Alarms and Events services

Migrate to FactoryTalk Alarms and Events if you want to:

 use device-based alarm monitoring. You can use a Logix5000 controller not only
to detect alarms, but also to monitor alarms. This keeps all alarm and event
processing in the controller. To use device-based alarm monitoring, add the built-
in alarm instructions, available in RSLogix 5000 v. 16 or later, to a logic project
and then download the project to a Logix5000 controller. The controller detects
alarm conditions and publishes event information, which can be displayed and
logged.
 use language-switching with alarm messages. Language switching is not
supported for alarm messages when you use HMI tag alarm monitoring in
FactoryTalk View Site Edition. FactoryTalk View Machine Edition supports
language-switching with alarm messages in version 5.0 or later.
 take advantage of the richer feature set offered by FactoryTalk Alarms and Events,
including:
 redundant software-based Tag Alarm and Event servers that monitor
controllers for alarm conditions through data servers and publish event
information that can be displayed and logged.
 configurable Alarm and Event Summary that includes the ability to suppress
alarms directly from the summary, without the use of separate commands
 Alarm and Event Banner, Alarm and Event Log Viewer, and Alarm Status
Explorer objects that can also be hosted in graphic displays. You can use the
Alarm Status Explorer to enable or disable alarms, suppress or unsuppress
alarms, shelve or unshelve alarms, and view operator comments.
 the Alarm and Event Banner can provide a view of all alarms — system
wide — rather than just the alarms in a single HMI server exposed by the
system\AlarmBanner system tag.

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FactoryTalk Alarms and Events System Configuration Guide

Where to start

8
 • • • • •
1 • Overview of FactoryTalk Alarms and Events services

FactoryTalk Alarms and Events components

The following diagram shows a high-level view of the components of the FactoryTalk
Alarms and Events system. For more detailed information, see FactoryTalk Alarms
and Events Help (Click Start > All Programs > Rockwell Software > FactoryTalk
Alarms and Events > User Documentation > FactoryTalk Alarms and Events
Help).

1. Device-based alarm monitoring

To do device-based alarm monitoring, you program alarm instructions, that are
available with RSLogix 5000 v. 16 or later, and then download them to Logix5000
controllers. The controller detects alarm conditions and notifies RSLinx
Enterprise of alarm states. A Rockwell Automation device server (RSLinx
Enterprise) extracts the alarm information and publishes it to FactoryTalk Alarms
and Events services.

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FactoryTalk Alarms and Events System Configuration Guide

Use device-based alarm monitoring with:

 Logix5000 controllers, that you have programmed with RSLogix 5000 v. 16
or later software, and Rockwell Automation device servers (RSLinx
Enterprise).
2. Tag-based alarm monitoring
The Tag Alarm and Event Server uses tags to monitor programmable controllers
for alarm conditions. When an alarm condition is detected, the server publishes
the information to FactoryTalk Alarms and Events services.
Use tag-based alarm monitoring with:
 PLC-5 or SLC 500 devices, and Rockwell Automation device servers
(RSLinx Enterprise).
 RSLinx Classic or RSLinx Gateway.
 Third-party controllers and OPC Data Servers.
 Logix5000 controllers.
3. FactoryTalk Alarms and Events services
Both device-based and tag-based alarms and events are published to FactoryTalk
Alarms and Events services, which then routes the information to FactoryTalk
Alarms and Events objects hosted in FactoryTalk View, the alarm and event
history log, and to diagnostic logs and audit logs.
4. Alarm and Event Historian and Log
The Alarm and Event Historian is a logging component that installs silently as
part of the alarms and events software. It manages connections between alarm
servers and databases and logs data from each alarm server to an alarm history
database. You can use the Alarm and Event Log Viewer to view and print data
from alarm history databases. Third-party database tools can also retrieve, view,
analyze, and print alarm history information.
To use alarm and event logging, install Microsoft SQL Server separately, or use an
existing Microsoft SQL Server database.
5. Diagnostic and audit logs
FactoryTalk Diagnostics routes messages generated by FactoryTalk Alarms and
Events to local logs on the computers hosting FactoryTalk components, and
optionally to a centralized database log. Audit messages are also routed to the
local log and to the FactoryTalk Audit Log if FactoryTalk AssetCentre is installed.
6. Alarm and event setup and monitoring
FactoryTalk Alarms and Events includes a number of software components that
allow engineers and operators to define alarm conditions, set up alarm servers,
view and interact with alarm conditions, and view and run reports on historical
alarm information.

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 • • • • •
1 • Overview of FactoryTalk Alarms and Events services

Alarm and Event Summary

Use the Alarm and Event Summary object, embedded in a FactoryTalk View
graphic display, to view and interact with the most recent unacknowledged
alarms.
Alarm and Event Banner
Use the Alarm and Event Banner object, embedded in a FactoryTalk View graphic
display, to monitor and respond to the most serious alarms that require immediate
attention.
Alarm Status Explorer
Use the Alarm Status Explorer object, embedded in a FactoryTalk View graphic
display, to view and interact with all alarms.
Database definitions
Use database definitions to define logging options from an alarm server to a
Microsoft SQL Server database.
Alarm and Event Log Viewer
Use the Alarm and Event Log Viewer object, embedded in a FactoryTalk View
graphic display, to view and filter historical alarm information stored in Microsoft
SQL Server databases.
Diagnostics Viewer
Use the Diagnostics Viewer to view, filter, and export system-generated
diagnostic messages. Run the Diagnostics Viewer from either FactoryTalk View
Studio or FactoryTalk Administration Console.
FactoryTalk Audit Log
Use the FactoryTalk Audit Log to view and manage audit messages routed by
FactoryTalk Diagnostics. To access the Audit Log, use the FactoryTalk
AssetCentre software.

About monitoring for alarm conditions

You can monitor for alarm conditions in two ways — using software-based alarm
monitoring, or device-based alarm monitoring.
About software-based alarm monitoring
HMI tag alarm monitoring, offered by FactoryTalk View Site Edition, and tag-based
alarm monitoring, offered by FactoryTalk Alarms and Events, are both examples of
software-based alarm monitoring.
Software-based alarm monitoring is a generic way of monitoring alarms from legacy
or third-party controllers.
With software-based alarm monitoring, alarm detection occurs in the controller, but
alarm monitoring is performed by software-based servers.

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FactoryTalk Alarms and Events System Configuration Guide

Tag-based alarm monitoring works like this (similar to HMI Tag Alarm
Monitoring):

This approach has several disadvantages:

 Programming is required in both the controller and the HMI software or Tag
Alarm and Event Server.
 Tags must be duplicated in the HMI server and mapped to the controller. For Tag
Alarm and Event Servers, controller tags must be mapped to alarms — in either
case, a tedious, error-prone process.
 Alarms are detected and processed twice, first in the controller logic and then
again in the HMI software or Tag Alarm and Event Server.
 Polling between the HMI server or Tag Alarm and Event Server and controller
tags increases network overhead.
 Alarm time stamps are delayed because they are applied by the HMI server or Tag
Alarm and Event Server after polling and processing, rather than immediately
when they occur. Time stamps are not synchronized among multiple alarm
servers.
 Alarm acknowledge and enable states are held in the computer, and not in the
controller. If the computer goes down, alarm state information is lost.
About device-based alarm monitoring
With device-based alarm monitoring, alarm detection also occurs in the controller, but
unlike software-based alarm monitoring, monitoring for alarm conditions is done in
the controller as well.

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 • • • • •
1 • Overview of FactoryTalk Alarms and Events services

Device-based alarm monitoring works like this:

This approach has several advantages over software-based alarm detection:

 Alarm instructions are programmed only once, and then downloaded to the
controller, which reduces programming effort and errors.
 Alarm conditions are detected more quickly.
 Alarms are detected at the same time the logic is being executed.
 HMI tags or alarms in a Tag Alarm and Event Server are not required, which
reduces overhead and potential tag mapping errors.
 Alarm state is managed, processed, and preserved by controllers, even if a
computer is stopped.
 Data polling is eliminated and Alarm status is communicated only when state
changes, which reduces network overhead, controller processing, and improves
overall system performance.
 Time stamps on alarm conditions are precise, because they are applied in the
controller, and not delayed until they reach the HMI software or Tag Alarm and
Event Server. However, all controllers that produce alarms must have their clocks
synchronized because device-based alarms are stamped with the controller’s time.
The event time is published throughout the FactoryTalk Alarms and Events
system, so inaccurate time stamps can affect where alarms are displayed in the
Alarm and Event Summary or the Alarm and Event Banner, as well as in reports
based on the alarm and event history. For more information about synchronizing
controller clocks, see Appendix G, “Time synchronization”.

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FactoryTalk Alarms and Events System Configuration Guide

Choosing between tag-based and device-based alarm

monitoring
Use tag-based alarm monitoring with:
 Logix5000 controllers
 PLC-5, SLC 500 devices
 Third-party controllers that communicate through OPC Data Servers
Use device-based alarm monitoring with:
 Logix5000 controllers, using downloaded alarm instructions programmed
with RSLogix 5000 v. 16 or later.

Graphic objects in FactoryTalk Alarms and Events

FactoryTalk Alarms and Events graphic objects are on the Objects menu in the
Graphics editor in FactoryTalk View Site Edition. The HMI tag alarm monitoring
objects remain available for compatibility with existing applications.
In HMI tag alarm With FactoryTalk
monitoring, you do it Alarms and Events, you
To do this this way do it this way
Acknowledge, disable, HMI Tag Alarm Summary Alarm and Event
suppress, filter, and sort Summary
alarms at run time
Enable or disable alarms, HMI Tag Alarm Summary Alarm and Event
suppress or unsuppress (suppress only, using the Summary (to unsuppress
alarms, shelve or unshelve Execute feature) or enable alarms, use the
alarms, and view operator SuppressOn and Alarm Status Explorer)
comments SuppressOff commands Alarm Status Explorer
Suppressed list
Monitor and respond to Alarm system tags Alarm and Event Banner
the most serious alarms
that require immediate
attention
View, filter, and print HMI Tag Alarm Log Alarm and Event Log
historical alarm Viewer Viewer
information Alarms are logged to a Historical alarm
proprietary format, and information is stored in
can be exported to an Microsoft SQL Server
ODBC-compliant databases.
database.

14
 Chapter 2

Plan your system

Before you build and deploy FactoryTalk Alarms and Events as part of a local or
network application, consider which computer hardware and operating systems you
plan to use, as well as where to install the various hardware and software components.
The information in this chapter offers some guidelines as you begin planning. See also
“Required software” on page 1 and “Recommended hardware and supported
operating systems” on page 2.

Decide what type of application you are building

You must decide whether you are building a local station application or network
station application on a stand-alone computer, or a network distributed application
distributed across multiple computers. This system configuration guide discusses how
to install, configure, and use software on a stand-alone system.
FactoryTalk Alarms and Events is not supported for use with FactoryTalk View
Machine Edition.

 Network distributed applications are held in a FactoryTalk Network

DirectoryProject information and participating software products can be located
on multiple computers, distributed across a network. All of the computers
participating in a particular network distributed application share a common
Network Directory Server located on a network computer.
The application you create in the Network Directory can be divided into any
number of areas. Each area can contain one or more sub-areas and one or more
data servers. Each area or sub-area can contain only one HMI server. You can
choose a network distributed application to take advantage of FactoryTalk Alarms
and Events redundancy. See “Typical distributed system on a network” on
page 229 for more information.
 Network station applications are held in a FactoryTalk Network Directory. All
participating software products (except for data servers) must be installed on the
same computer. Network station applications can connect to data servers that are
located on different machines. All of the computers participating in a particular
network station application share a common Network Directory Server located on
a network computer.
The application you create in the Network Directory can be divided into any
number of areas. Each area can contain one or more sub-areas and one or more
data servers. A network station application consists of only one HMI server. You
can add the HMI server in the root area or within the areas you have created. You
can choose a network station application to take advantage of FactoryTalk Alarms
and Events redundancy. See “Typical stand-alone system” on page 18 for more
information.

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FactoryTalk Alarms and Events System Configuration Guide

 Local station applications are suitable for self-contained, stand-alone processes

that do not interact with other processes or systems. Local station applications are
held in a FactoryTalk Local Directory and are accessible only from the local
computer where they reside. Even if the computer is connected to a network and
even if a network application resides on the same computer, the applications you
create in the FactoryTalk Local Directory remain self-contained and do not share
data or project elements.
Local station applications do not support areas, and all application components
and participating software products are located on a single computer. See “Typical
stand-alone system” on page 18 for more information.
To use FactoryTalk Alarms and Events with a local station application, install all
software on the same computer.
FactoryTalk Alarms and Events redundancy is only supported in network station
applications and network distributed applications.

Decide what type of alarm monitoring you need

FactoryTalk Alarms and Events supports two types of alarm monitoring:
 Device-based alarm monitoring. Built-in alarm instructions, that are available in
RSLogix 5000 v. 16 or later, are programmed in a logic project and then
downloaded to a Logix5000 controller. The controller detects alarm conditions
and publishes event information, which can be displayed and logged.
 Tag-based alarm monitoring. Software-based tag alarm and event servers
monitor controllers for alarm conditions through data servers and publish event
information, which can be displayed and logged. Tag-based alarm monitoring is
supported for Logix5000, PLC-5, and SLC 500 devices communicating through
Rockwell Automation device servers (RSLinx Enterprise), or for third-party
controllers that communicate through OPC Data Servers.
You can use a mix of both types of alarm monitoring. Choose tag-based alarm
monitoring if you do not want to change the logic in your programmable controllers.
Choose tag-based alarm monitoring, if you do not want to update the firmware in
Logix5000 controllers.

What you need

 Decide what type of application you are building.
 Decide what type of alarm monitoring you need.
 Install and activate FactoryTalk software.
 Update Logix5000 firmware to revision between 16.20 and 20, if you plan to use
device-based alarm monitoring and alarm instructions that are built into
Logix5000 controllers. If you do not plan to use device-based alarm instructions,
you can skip this step and use tag-based alarm monitoring with a Tag Alarm and
Event Server instead.

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 • • • • •
2 • Plan your system

Follow these steps

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FactoryTalk Alarms and Events System Configuration Guide

Install and activate FactoryTalk software

Follow these procedures to install and activate the software products required for
FactoryTalk Alarms and Events.
This guide describes how to set up a local station application. The procedure to set
up a network station application or network distributed application is similar. This
guide provides additional information about the two applications where it is
necessary. See also Appendix H, “Reference for building a distributed system”.

For more information about each software product, see the product Help.
Typical stand-alone system
To use FactoryTalk Alarms and Events with a local station application or a network
station application as part of a stand-alone FactoryTalk system, install all software on
the same computer. Use this diagram only as a starting point; your own system will
vary.

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 • • • • •
2 • Plan your system

Install FactoryTalk software

For specific installation instructions, refer to the installation guide for each product.
 To develop or run local station applications, install all the necessary software
components on one computer.
 To develop or run network station applications, install all the necessary software
components (except for data servers) on one computer . Network station
applications can connect to data servers that are located on different machines.
 To develop or run network distributed applications, install different combinations
of software on each computer, depending on your needs. For instructions, see
FactoryTalk Help by clicking Start > All Programs > Rockwell Software >
FactoryTalk Tools > FactoryTalk Help.
This guide provides additional information about network distributed applications
or network station applications where it is necessary. See Appendix H, “Reference
for building a distributed system”.

To set up a FactoryTalk system, install the following software:

 FactoryTalk Services Platform
 FactoryTalk Activation
 FactoryTalk View Site Edition
 RSLinx Enterprise
 RSLinx Classic
 RSLogix 5000
 Update Logix5000 firmware to revision between 16.20 and 20 (if you plan to use
device-based alarm monitoring — see “Decide what type of alarm monitoring you
need” on page 16)
Install Microsoft SQL Server
If you plan to log historical alarm and event messages to a database, you must install
Microsoft SQL Server software on the computer you want to use for logging. If you
do not have Microsoft SQL Server software installed, see Appendix D, “Install
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 SP2 Express”
If you already have Microsoft SQL Server installed, you may need to change the
configuration options to log alarm and event messages. For configuration
instructions, see Appendix E, “Use an existing Microsoft SQL Server database”.

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FactoryTalk Alarms and Events System Configuration Guide

20
 Chapter 3

Define device-based alarms in Logix5000 controllers

To set up device-based alarm monitoring, you program alarm instructions, that are
available with RSLogix 5000 v. 16 or later, and download them to a Logix5000
controller. The controller detects alarm conditions and notifies alarms and events
services of alarm states. Software components publish this information to a device
server, where it can be logged to a database, and viewed, acknowledged, suppressed,
enabled, disabled, shelved, or unshelved from FactoryTalk View graphic displays.
FactoryTalk Alarms and Events can handle many different types of alarms. The
controller limits the alarms to digital and analog. An analog alarm instruction
monitors two types of alarm conditions: Level and Rate of Change. A tag-based alarm
server supports three alarm types: Digital, Level, and Deviation.
A digital alarm instruction is based on the input rung state (in ladder logic) or on the
alarm input (for function block). The trigger condition compares the value of the tag to
either zero or one.
An analog alarm defines a condition that evaluates a single analog tag against up to
four limit values (high-high to low-low) and up to two rate of change limits (positive
and negative).
If your FactoryTalk application does not include Logix5000 controllers, or if your
controllers are not programmed with the new alarm instructions included in RSLogix
5000 v. 16 or later, see Chapter 5, “Add an OPC Data Server for third-party
controllers” and Chapter 6, “Add a tag-based alarm server for Logix5000, PLC-5,
SLC 500, or third-party controllers”.

Alarm buffering during loss of connection to the controller

To receive device-based alarms, the alarm server (RSLinx Enterprise) establishes a
subscription to the alarms in the Logix controller. The controller maintains a
connection to each subscriber and monitors the status of that connection.
As alarm state changes occur, the controller caches information such as timestamps,
alarm state and associated tag values, and transmits the information to all of the
subscribers.
If any subscriber fails to confirm the receipt of the alarm information, or if the
connection to a subscriber is not good, the controller stores the undelivered alarm
information in a 100 KB buffer. Each subscriber has its own buffer and
communication problems with one subscriber do not interfere with alarm delivery to
other subscribers. When the buffer is full, newer alarm information is discarded and a
FactoryTalk Diagnostics message is logged. The buffer is created when the subscriber
establishes its initial connection, and is maintained for a length of time after a
subscriber loses its connection. The length of time is specified in the Buffer Timeout

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FactoryTalk Alarms and Events System Configuration Guide

setting on each RSLinx Enterprise device shortcut. See Chapter 4, “Create a new
shortcut to the controller”.
For controllers with revision 20 or earlier, we recommend that you do not
change the default buffering time unless instructed by the Technical Support.
This release of FactoryTalk Alarms and Events does not support device based
alarm subscription to controllers with firmware revisions 21 or later.

Before you begin

 Review Chapter 2, “Plan your system”.
 Verify that you have installed and activated the software listed next under “What
you need”.
 Verify that the Logix5000 firmware has been updated to revision between 16.20
and 20.

What you need

 RSLogix 5000
 ControlFLASH
 RSLinx Classic

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 • • • • •
3 • Define device-based alarms in Logix5000 controllers

Follow these steps

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FactoryTalk Alarms and Events System Configuration Guide

Define a digital alarm

Digital tags are either on or off. They have states instead of limits. The alarm trigger
condition compares the value of the tag to the configured alarm state. An alarm can be
triggered if the digital alarm is in one of these two states:
 the rung evaluation or input tag is equal to zero
 the rung evaluation or input tag is not equal to zero
If your FactoryTalk application does not include Logix5000 controllers, or if your
controllers are not programmed with the new alarm instructions included in RSLogix
5000 v. 16 or later, see Chapter 5, “Add an OPC Data Server for third-party
controllers” and Chapter 6, “Add a tag-based alarm server for Logix5000, PLC-5,
SLC 500, or third-party controllers”.

Configure the alarm and download to the controller

This example uses the ladder logic editor that comes with RSLogix 5000 to define a
digital alarm. You can also configure digital alarms in function blocks or structured
text.
Step 1: Create a rung of logic that will trigger the alarm
1. Create a new project with default settings. In this example, we used
West_Plant_Controller.
2. In the left pane, expand the folders Tasks > MainTask > MainProgram, and then
double-click MainRoutine.

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 • • • • •
3 • Define device-based alarms in Logix5000 controllers

3. On the Language Element toolbar, click the Examine-on instruction button

(shown at left) to add it to a rung on the ladder project.

4. At the top of the Examine-on instruction, click the question mark to select it. On
the File menu, click New Component, and then click Tag.

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FactoryTalk Alarms and Events System Configuration Guide

5. In the New Tag dialog box, type a name for the tag, choose BOOL as the data
type, and then click OK.
In our example, we named the tag alarm_active.

Step 2: Add a digital alarm instruction to the rung

1. On the Language Element toolbar, click the Alarms tab, and then click the
ALMD button (shown at left). The instruction block is placed in the ladder logic.

26
 • • • • •
3 • Define device-based alarms in Logix5000 controllers

If you are using RSLogix 5000 version 20 or earlier, the instruction block is like
this:

2. Inside the alarm instruction, beside ALMD, select the question mark.
3. On the File menu, click New Component, and then click Tag.
4. In the New Tag dialog box, type a name for the digital alarm tag, and then click
OK.
In our example, we named the tag DigitalAlarm1.

Step 3: Specify a tag for each of the digital alarm’s operands,

or just enter 0
1. Inside the alarm instruction, select the ProgAck operand.
2. On the File menu, click New Component, and then click Tag.

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FactoryTalk Alarms and Events System Configuration Guide

3. In the New Tag dialog box, type a name for the tag, select BOOL as the data type,
and then click OK.
In our example, we named the tag DigitalAlarm1_Ack. For details about using the
New Tag dialog box, click Help.

If you are using RSLogix 5000 version 20 or earlier, the instruction block is like
this:

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 • • • • •
3 • Define device-based alarms in Logix5000 controllers

4. Create tags for the ProgReset, ProgDisable, and ProgEnable operands. When you
are finished, the alarm instruction should resemble the one shown here:

If you are using RSLogix 5000 version 20 or earlier, the instruction block is like
this:

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FactoryTalk Alarms and Events System Configuration Guide

Step 4: Configure the properties of the new digital alarm tag:

1. Inside the alarm instruction, click the Browse button (shown at left).
2. In the ALMD Properties dialog box, specify configuration settings, and then click
OK. For help with specifying configuration settings, click Help.

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 • • • • •
3 • Define device-based alarms in Logix5000 controllers

If you are using RSLogix 5000 version 20 or earlier, the ALMD Properties dialog
box is like this:

To create a text message with embedded variables for each alarm, click the Browse
button beside the Message box. At run time, these messages appear in Alarm and
Event graphic objects, such as the Alarm and Event Summary. The maximum length
of an alarm message is 255 characters. When importing alarm messages, RSLogix
5000 will verify the message length and display a warning if the alarm message
exceeds the character limit.

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FactoryTalk Alarms and Events System Configuration Guide

Step 5: Download the program containing the ladder logic to the controller
1. If it is not already running, start RSLinx Classic to establish communications
between RSLogix 5000 v. 16, or later, and the controller.
2. On the RSLogix 5000 menu, click Communications > Who Active.

3. If it is not already highlighted, select the controller to which you want to

download the project.
In this example, use the same controller you configured for the
West_Plant_Controller project in “Create a rung of logic that will trigger the
alarm” on page 24.

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3 • Define device-based alarms in Logix5000 controllers

4. Click Download. At the prompt, click Download again. The controller is placed
in Program mode.

Step 6: Test the alarm instruction by switching to run mode and triggering
the alarm
1. On the RSLogix 5000 menu, click Communications > Run Mode. Click Yes to
switch the controller to run mode.

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2. To trigger the alarm, right-click the contact on the rung (the one we named
“alarm_active”). On the context menu, click Toggle Bit. The contact should
change from a blue highlight to a green highlight.

Step 7: Finish creating alarms, and next steps

1. Define additional digital alarms or analog alarms, using either ladder logic,
function blocks, or structured text, and download the logic to the controller.
2. When you finish defining alarms, create a device-based alarm server, and then
configure it to subscribe to events detected by the Logix5000 controller. See
Chapter 4, “Add a device server for Logix5000, PLC-5, or SLC 500 controllers”
for instructions.

Define an analog alarm

An analog alarm defines a condition that evaluates a single analog tag against up to
four limit values (high-high to low-low) and up to two rate of change limits (positive
and negative).
If your FactoryTalk application does not include Logix5000 controllers, or if your
controllers are not programmed with the new alarm instructions included in RSLogix
5000 v. 16 or later, see Chapter 5, “Add an OPC Data Server for third-party
controllers” and Chapter 6, “Add a tag-based alarm server for Logix5000, PLC-5,
SLC 500, or third-party controllers”.

Configure the alarm and download it to the controller

This example uses the Function Block editor that comes with RSLogix 5000. You can
also configure analog alarms in ladder logic or structured text.
Step 1: Define a new routine
1. Create a new project with default settings. In this example, we used
East_Plant_Controller.

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3 • Define device-based alarms in Logix5000 controllers

2. In the left pane, expand the Tasks folder, right-click MainProgram, and then
click New Routine on the context menu.

3. In the New Routine dialog box, type a name for the routine. We used
alarm_active.

4. In the Type list, click Function Block Diagram.

5. Select the Open Routine check box, and then click OK.

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The new routine appears in the Tasks folder under MainRoutine and the routine
opens on the right side of the RSLogix 5000 window:

Step 2: Build the function block logic

1. To add an alarm block, go to the tabs in the center right area (Favorites, Add-On,
and so on) as shown in the following illustration. Scroll to the right, and then click
the Alarms tab.

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3 • Define device-based alarms in Logix5000 controllers

2. On the toolbar, click the ALMA button (shown at left) to add an Analog Alarm
block, as shown in the following illustration.

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FactoryTalk Alarms and Events System Configuration Guide

If you are using RSLogix 5000 version 20 or earlier, the Analog Alarm block is
like this:

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3 • Define device-based alarms in Logix5000 controllers

3. Using the same Alarm objects on the Language Element toolbar, click the Input
Reference icon (shown at left). An Input Reference tag appears in the Function
Block editor:

4. Right-click the single question mark inside the symbol and then click New Tag.

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5. In the New Tag dialog box, type a name for the tag and then click OK.
In this example, we used AnalogAlarm1.

The screen should resemble the one shown in the following illustration:

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3 • Define device-based alarms in Logix5000 controllers

6. Connect the input reference block to the Input of the ALMA block, as shown in
the following illustration, by dragging the block’s contact point to the contact
point on the ALMA block.

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Step 3: Configure the properties of the alarm block

1. Click the Browse button on the alarm block.
2. In the ALMA Properties dialog box, set the Input Levels as shown in the
following illustration and then click OK. To require that an operator acknowledge
the alarm at run time, make sure the Acknowledgement Required check box is
selected.

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3 • Define device-based alarms in Logix5000 controllers

If you are using RSLogix 5000 version 20 or earlier, the ALMA Properties dialog
box is like this:

To enter alarm messages and add variables for analog alarms, select the Messages
tab. To create a text message with embedded variables, click the Browse button
beside the Level field, or beside the Rate of Change field. At run time, alarm
messages are displayed in Alarm and Event graphic objects such as the Alarm and
Event Summary.

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Step 4: Add a JSR instruction to the MainRoutine to run the function block:
1. Double-click MainRoutine to open it.
2. Right-click the first rung and then click Add Ladder Element on the context
menu.
3. In the Add Ladder Element dialog box, scroll down to the Program Control
folder and then double-click the folder to expand the list of controls.

4. Select JSR and then click OK.

5. In the JSR instruction, double-click Routine Name and then click alarm_active in
the list.

6. On the toolbar, click the Save button to save the configuration.

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3 • Define device-based alarms in Logix5000 controllers

Step 5: Download the program to the controller

1. If it is not already running, start RSLinx Classic to establish communications
between RSLogix 5000 v. 16 or later, and the controller.
2. On the RSLogix 5000 menu, click Communications > Who Active.
3. Select the controller to which you want to download the project.
4. Click Download. At the prompt, click Download again.
5. To switch the controller to run mode, on the RSLogix 5000 menu, click
Communications > Run Mode.

Step 6: Finish creating alarms, and next steps

 Define additional digital alarms or analog alarms using either ladder logic,
function block, or structured text, and download the logic to the controller.
 When you finish defining alarms, create a device-based alarm server, and then
configure it to subscribe to events detected by the Logix5000 controller. See
Chapter 4, “Add a device server for Logix5000, PLC-5, or SLC 500
controllers”.

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 Chapter 4

Add a device server for Logix5000, PLC-5, or SLC 500

controllers
To use device-based alarms in Logix5000 controllers, or tag-based alarms in PLC-5,
SLC 500, or Logix5000 controllers you must add a device server to your application.
FactoryTalk Alarms and Events supports two types of alarm monitoring:
 Device-based alarm monitoring. Built-in alarm instructions, that are available in
RSLogix 5000 v. 16 or later, are programmed in a logic project and then
downloaded to a Logix5000 controller. The controller detects alarm conditions
and publishes event information, which can be displayed and logged.
 Tag-based alarm monitoring. Software-based tag alarm and event servers
monitor controllers for alarm conditions through data servers and publish event
information, which can be displayed and logged. Tag-based alarm monitoring is
supported for Logix5000, PLC-5, and SLC 500 devices communicating through
Rockwell Automation device servers (RSLinx Enterprise), or for third-party
controllers that communicate through OPC Data Servers.
You can use a mix of both types of alarm monitoring. Choose tag-based alarm
monitoring if you do not want to change the logic in your programmable controllers.
Choose tag-based alarm monitoring, if you do not want to update the firmware in
Logix5000 controllers.

Before you begin

 If you are using device-based alarms, define your alarms, as shown in Chapter 3,
“Define device-based alarms in Logix5000 controllers”.
 If you are using tag-based alarms, you can create a controller program to detect
alarm conditions and then communicate them through tags that are monitored by
the FactoryTalk Tag Alarm and Event Server.

What you need

 RSLinx Enterprise
 FactoryTalk View Studio or FactoryTalk Administration Console
This guide uses FactoryTalk View Studio to define a device server. You can also use
FactoryTalk Administration Console. For more information, select Help > Contents
from the FactoryTalk Administration Console window.

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Follow these steps

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4 • Add a device server for Logix5000, PLC-5, or SLC 500 controllers

Add a device server

In this section, you will create a Rockwell Automation device server (RSLinx
Enterprise) and then configure it to subscribe to alarms that will be detected by a
Logix5000 controller.
If you are using third-party controllers, you do not need a device-based alarm
server. Instead, go to Chapter 5, “Add an OPC Data Server for third-party
controllers”.

Step 1: Create an application in FactoryTalk View Studio

This example shows how to create a local station application.
1. To start FactoryTalk View Studio, click Start > All Programs > Rockwell
Software > FactoryTalk View > FactoryTalk View Studio.
2. In the Application Type Selection window, select View Site Edition (Local
Station) and then click Continue.

FactoryTalk Alarms and Events is not supported for use with FactoryTalk View
Machine Edition.

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3. In the New/Open Site Edition (Local Station) Application dialog box, click the
New tab.

4. In the Application name field, type a name for the new local station application.
In this example, we named the application My Local Site.
5. Leave the Description field blank, or type a description for the application. For
example, you can use this field to record revisions to the application, or contact
information for technical support.
6. If it is not already selected, select the default language for the application. This is
the language in which you are creating the application.
7. Click Create.

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4 • Add a device server for Logix5000, PLC-5, or SLC 500 controllers

8. In the Add Controller Instruction Faceplates dialog box, click Clear All and
then click OK.

If you have cleared the “Display this dialog when creating a new application” check
box, the Add Controller Instruction Faceplates dialog box does not open
automatically. To open it manually, in the Explorer window right-click the HMI
server and then select Add Controller Instruction Faceplates from the context
menu.

Step 2: Configure the device server

1. In the Explorer window, right-click the new application My Local Site. On the
context menu, point to Add New Server and then click Rockwell Automation
Device Server (RSLinx Enterprise).

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2. In the RSLinx Enterprise Server Properties dialog box, click the General tab, type
a name for the new server, and then click Apply.
In this example, we named the server FTAE Server.

3. If you plan to use tag-based alarms, skip the rest of the steps in this section, and go
on to “Create a new shortcut to the controller” on page 53. If you are using built-in
alarm instructions in Logix5000 controllers, on the Alarms and Events tab, select
the Enable alarm and event support check box.

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4 • Add a device server for Logix5000, PLC-5, or SLC 500 controllers

4. Clear the Enable history check box and then click OK. For information about
historical logging, see Chapter 9, “Set up historical alarm and event logging”.
The new server is added to the My Local Site application:

Step 3: Create a new shortcut to the controller

1. In the Explorer window, double-click the new RSLinx Enterprise server (in our
example we named it FTAE Server) and then double-click Communication
Setup.

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FactoryTalk Alarms and Events System Configuration Guide

2. In the Communication Setup dialog box, click the Add button, and then type a
name for the new shortcut. We used FTAE_Controller.

Some options in this dialog box might be different if you are using PLC-5 or SLC
500 controllers.
The warning icon beside the OK button indicates that changing values in this
dialog box at run time can cause unexpected results. For details, see Help.
3. Skip this step if you do not plan to use Logix5000 controllers with built-in alarm
instructions. In the Enable list, click Yes to enable Alarms and Events:

Set the Buffer Timeout

setting for the length of
time (zero to 120) you
want to cache alarm
information if the
connection to the
controller is lost. To
disable alarm buffering
set the value to zero.
(See “Alarm buffering
during loss of connection

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4 • Add a device server for Logix5000, PLC-5, or SLC 500 controllers

4. On the Primary tab, expand the list of networks and devices until the controller
you plan to use is visible, and then click the controller.

5. To set the path to the primary controller, click the Apply button.
6. To save the shortcut configuration and close the Communication Setup dialog
box, click OK.
FactoryTalk Alarms and Events server redundancy is only supported in network
station applications and network distributed applications.

Step 4: Finish creating data servers, and next steps

1. If your FactoryTalk application includes third-party OPC-DA controllers, add an
OPC Data Server, create a tag-based alarm server, and then define alarms. See
Chapter 5, “Add an OPC Data Server for third-party controllers” and Chapter 6,
“Add a tag-based alarm server for Logix5000, PLC-5, SLC 500, or third-party
controllers”.
2. If your FactoryTalk application is communicating with PLC-5 or SLC 500
controllers, or Logx5000 controllers that are not using built-in alarm instructions,
you must add a device server (RSLinx Enterprise) to your application and then
create a tag-based alarm server and define alarms. See Chapter 6, “Add a tag-
based alarm server for Logix5000, PLC-5, SLC 500, or third-party controllers”.
3. After you create data servers and alarms, add FactoryTalk Alarm and Event
objects to graphic displays. See Chapter 7, “Set up graphic displays”.
4. If your FactoryTalk network distributed application or network station application
plan calls for data redundancy, you will want to configure your device-based
alarm server for redundancy. We recommend leaving this step until after the
FactoryTalk application is fully configured and all HMI features have been tested
using non-redundant servers. Adding data server redundancy does not affect the

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FactoryTalk Alarms and Events System Configuration Guide

configuration of the graphic displays in the HMI application. See “Configure

redundancy for alarms and events” on page 143 for more information.
FactoryTalk data server redundancy is only supported in network station
applications and network distributed applications.

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 Chapter 5

Add an OPC Data Server for third-party controllers

To monitor alarms in a third-party controller, create a controller program to detect
alarm conditions and communicate them to tags. Use an OPC Data Server (for
example, KEPWare server) to obtain tag values from the controller, and use a Tag
FactoryTalk Alarm and Event Server to monitor those tags for alarm conditions.
This chapter describes how to use RSLinx Classic as an OPC Data Server. In most
situations you will use RSLinx Enterprise to communicate with a PLC-5 or SLC 500
controller. However, you might need to use RSLinx Classic to communicate with a
controller that is bridged over Ethernet to a DH+ or DH-485 network.

Before you begin

 Review Chapter 2, “Plan your system”
 Verify that you have installed and activated the software listed next under “What
you need”

What you need

 PLC-5, SLC 500 or third-party OPC-DA programmable controller
 RSLogix 5 or RSLogix 500 software
 RSLinx Classic software
 RSLinx Enterprise software
 FactoryTalk View Studio or FactoryTalk Administration Console

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FactoryTalk Alarms and Events System Configuration Guide

Follow these steps

Add an OPC Data Server to an application

When you add a data server to an application or area, tags published by the data server
can be accessed by any client — in this case, the Tag Alarm and Event Server.
This guide uses FactoryTalk View Studio to add a data server. You can also use
FactoryTalk Administration Console. For more information, select Help > Contents
from the FactoryTalk Administration Console window.

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5 • Add an OPC Data Server for third-party controllers

Step 1: Open an existing application in FactoryTalk View Studio

1. To run FactoryTalk View Studio, click Start > All Programs > Rockwell
Software > FactoryTalk View > FactoryTalk View Studio.
2. In the Application Type Selection window, select View Site Edition (Local
Station) and then click Continue.
3. In the New/Open Site Edition (Local Station) Application dialog box, click the
Existing tab and select the application you created in Chapter 4, “Add a device
server for Logix5000, PLC-5, or SLC 500 controllers” (we used My Local Site).

Step 2: Add a data server

1. In the Explorer window, right-click the application, point to Add New Server,
and then click OPC Data Server.

2. In the OPC Data Server Properties dialog box, type a name for the server. This
example uses My OPC Server.

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FactoryTalk Alarms and Events System Configuration Guide

3. Beside the OPC Server name (ProgID) field, click the Browse button.
4. In the Available OPC Data Servers dialog box, select RSLinx OPC Server, and
then click OK.

When creating a network station application or network distributed applicaction,

select RSLinx Remote OPC Server.

5. Click OK again to close the OPC Data Server Properties dialog box.
6. Next, add a Tag Alarm and Event Server and define alarm conditions. See Chapter
6, “Add a tag-based alarm server for Logix5000, PLC-5, SLC 500, or third-party
controllers”.
7. If your FactoryTalk network station application or network distributed application
plan calls for data redundancy, you will want to configure your tag-based alarm
server for redundancy. We recommend completing this step after the FactoryTalk
application is fully configured and all HMI features have been tested using non-
redundant servers. Adding data server redundancy does not affect the
configuration of the graphic displays in the HMI application.
FactoryTalk Alarms and Events server redundancy and data server redundancy
are only supported in network station applications and network distributed
applications.

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 Chapter 6

Add a tag-based alarm server for Logix5000, PLC-5,

SLC 500, or third-party controllers
FactoryTalk Tag Alarm and Event Servers provide software-based alarms and events.
Use tag alarm and event servers to monitor alarm conditions in Logix5000 controllers,
PLC-5, SLC 500, or third-party OPC-DA programmable controllers.
FactoryTalk Tag Alarm and Event Servers also provide an alternative to device-based
alarms, for example, alarms provided by devices such as sensors or Logix5000
controllers using built-in alarm instructions.
A FactoryTalk Tag Alarm and Event Server can also detect alarm conditions in third-
party controllers. All that is required is a data server (such as KEPWare) to
communicate with the controller.
A FactoryTalk Tag Alarm and Event Server provides a link between a hardware
device that contains data and the FactoryTalk Directory.
If your FactoryTalk system does not include PLC, SLC, or third-party controllers, you
can skip this chapter.

You can create and edit:

 digital alarms
 level alarms
 deviation alarms
For each alarm, you can also create and edit a text message and embed variables
within the message. For details, click the Help button on the dialog box.

Before you begin

 If you are using third-party controllers, you do not need a device-based alarm
server. Instead, go to Chapter 5, “Add an OPC Data Server for third-party
controllers”.

What you need

 Logix5000 controllers, PLC-5, or SLC 500 devices communicating through
Rockwell Automation device servers (RSLinx Enterprise)
 RSLogix 5 or RSLogix 500 software
 RSLinx Enterprise, RSLinx Classic (or RSLinx Classic for bridging from
Ethernet to DH+ or DH-485 networks)
 FactoryTalk View Studio or FactoryTalk Administration Console

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Follow these steps

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6 • Add a tag-based alarm server for Logix5000, PLC-5, SLC 500, or third-party controllers

Create an application
In this section, you will create a Rockwell Automation device server (RSLinx
Enterprise) and then configure it to subscribe to alarms that will be detected by a
Logix5000 controller. In this example, the Rockwell Automation device server
(RSLinx Enterprise) is used as a data server for tag values, not as an alarm server.
Step 1: Create an application in FactoryTalk View Studio
If you created a local station application previously, you can skip this step.
Instead, open the existing application by following instructions in Chapter 5, “Open
an existing application in FactoryTalk View Studio”.

This example shows how to create a local station application.

1. To start FactoryTalk View Studio, on the Windows Start menu, click Start > All
Programs > Rockwell Software > FactoryTalk View > FactoryTalk View
Studio.
2. In the Application Type Selection window, select View Site Edition (Local
Station) and then click Continue.

FactoryTalk Alarms and Events is not supported for use with FactoryTalk View
Machine Edition.

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3. In the New/Open Site Edition (Local Station) Application dialog box click the
New tab.

4. In the Application name field, type a name for the new application. In this
example, we named the application My Local Site.
5. Leave the Description field blank, or type a description for the application. For
example, you can use this field to record revisions to the application, or contact
information for technical support.
6. If it is not already selected, select the default language for the application. This is
the language in which you are creating the application.
7. Click Create.

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6 • Add a tag-based alarm server for Logix5000, PLC-5, SLC 500, or third-party controllers

8. In the Add Controller Instruction Faceplates dialog box, click Clear All and
then click OK.

If you have cleared the “Display this dialog when creating a new application” check
box, the Add Controller Instruction Faceplates dialog box does not open
automatically. To open it manually, in the Explorer window right-click the HMI
server and then select Add Controller Instruction Faceplates from the context
menu.

Add a data server

Step 1: Configure the device server (RSLinx Enterprise)
When you add a data server to an application or area, tags published by the data server
can be accessed by any client — in this case, the Tag Alarm and Event Server.
This guide uses FactoryTalk View Studio to add a data server. You can also use
FactoryTalk Administration Console. For more information, select Help > Contents
from the FactoryTalk Administration Console window.

In this example a device server (RSLinx Enterprise) is added to the application to act
as a data server.

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FactoryTalk Alarms and Events System Configuration Guide

1. In the Explorer window, right-click the application (My Local Site). On the
context menu, point to Add New Server, and then click Rockwell Automation
Device Server (RSLinx Enterprise).

2. In the RSLinx Enterprise Server Properties dialog box, click the General tab,
type a name for the server, and then click Apply. In this example, we named the
server FTAE Server.
The new server is added to the My Local Site application:

Step 2: Create a new shortcut to the controller

If you already created a shortcut to the controller in a previous chapter, you can
skip this step.

1. In the Explorer window, double-click the new RSLinx Enterprise server (in our
example we named it FTAE Server) and then double-click Communication Setup.

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FactoryTalk Alarms and Events System Configuration Guide

2. In the Communication Setup dialog box, click the Add button and then type a
name for the new shortcut. We used FTAE_Controller.

Some options in this dialog box might be different if you are using PLC-5 or SLC
500 controllers.
The warning icon beside the OK button indicates that changing values in this
dialog box at run time can cause unexpected results. For details, see Help.
3. On the Primary tab, expand the list of networks and devices until the controller is
visible, and then click the controller. To set the path to the primary controller,
click the Apply button.
4. To save the shortcut configuration and close the Communication Setup dialog
box, click OK.

Add a Tag Alarm and Event Server

To create a server and define alarm conditions that monitor tags for PLC-5 or SLC 500
controllers, and Logix5000 controllers, complete the following steps.
These instructions apply to FactoryTalk View Studio. For help with FactoryTalk
Administration Console, see FactoryTalk Help by clicking Start > All Programs >
Rockwell Software > FactoryTalk Tools.
Step 1: Add a Tag Alarm and Event Server
1. In the Explorer window, right-click the application. On the context menu, point to
Add New Server, and then click Tag Alarm and Event Server.
2. In the Tag Alarm and Event Server Properties dialog box, click the General
tab.

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6 • Add a tag-based alarm server for Logix5000, PLC-5, SLC 500, or third-party controllers

3. Type a name for the server, and then click OK. In this example, we used TagAE.

4. On the Priorities and History tab, clear the Enable history check box.
The Priorities and History tab is used to configure alarm and event logging.
Chapter 9, “Set up historical alarm and event logging” describes how to set up
alarm logging for an Tag Alarm and Event Server.
5. To create the Tag Alarm and Event Server and close the dialog box, click OK.

Define alarm conditions

After you create a Tag Alarm and Event Server, you define the conditions that will
trigger alarms at run time.
This example shows how to create a digital alarm in a Tag Alarm and Event Server.
1. In the Explorer window, expand the TagAE server, and then double-click Alarm
and Event Setup.

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FactoryTalk Alarms and Events System Configuration Guide

2. In the Alarm and Event Setup dialog box, click the New button on the toolbar,
and then click Digital.

3. In the Digital Alarm Properties dialog box, type a name for the alarm. In this
example we used Valve1FTO.
4. To select an Input Tag for the alarm, click the browse button, and then expand the
folder folder tree until you can select the online tag you plan to monitor.

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6 • Add a tag-based alarm server for Logix5000, PLC-5, SLC 500, or third-party controllers

5. Select the tag you plan to monitor and then click OK. In this example we used
Valve1FTO_alm.

6. In the Digital Alarm Properties dialog box, type a message. In this example we
typed ‘The valve failed to open.’ in the Message field.
You can also embed variables within the message. For details, click the Help
button on any tab in the Alarm Setup dialog box.

7. To close the Digital Alarm Properties dialog box, click OK.

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8. To save the alarm and start monitoring for the alarm condition, click the Save
button.

Next steps
1. Define additional alarms.
2. After you define alarms, you can add FactoryTalk Alarm and Event objects to
graphic displays. See Chapter 7, “Set up graphic displays”.
3. If your FactoryTalk network station application or network distributed application
plan calls for data redundancy, you will want to configure your tag-based alarm
server and tag data servers for redundancy. We recommend completing this step
after the FactoryTalk application is fully configured and all HMI features have
been tested using non-redundant servers. Adding data and alarm server
redundancy does not affect the configuration of the graphic displays in the HMI
application. See “Configure redundancy for alarms and events” on page 143 for
more information.
FactoryTalk Alarms and Events redundancy and data server redundancy are only
supported in network station applications and network distributed applications.

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 Chapter 7

Set up graphic displays

Create graphic displays in FactoryTalk View Studio. They are containers for graphic
objects, like the FactoryTalk Alarm and Event Summary object. Add FactoryTalk
Alarm and Event objects to displays so that an operator can monitor and interact with
both device-based and tag-based alarms at run time.
Other graphic objects (for example, objects representing equipment) can also be
animated (to change color for example) using FactoryTalk View Site Edition
expression functions that monitor the state of alarms. See “Use color animation to
indicate alarm state changes” on page 86. Also see Help in the FactoryTalk View Site
Edition.
This section descibes how to create graphic displays, create and configure the
FactoryTalk Alarm and Event graphic objects, and macros that determine how the
displays open in the FactoryTalk View Site Edition Client. This section is an example
of one way you might create your graphic displays.

Before you begin

 Define the alarms you plan to use, as described in Chapter 3, “Define device-
based alarms in Logix5000 controllers”.
 Add the required device server, as described in Chapter 4, “Add a device server
for Logix5000, PLC-5, or SLC 500 controllers” or Chapter 6, “Add a tag-based
alarm server for Logix5000, PLC-5, SLC 500, or third-party controllers”.

What you need

 RSLinx Enterprise software
 FactoryTalk View Studio software

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Follow these steps

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7 • Set up graphic displays

Create a graphic display

Create a graphic display to host FactoryTalk Alarm and Event objects, such as the
Alarm and Event Summary.
Step 1: Open an existing application in FactoryTalk View Studio
1. To run FactoryTalk View Studio, click Start > All Programs > Rockwell
Software > FactoryTalk View > FactoryTalk View Studio.
2. In the Application Type Selection window, select View Site Edition (Local
Station) and then click Continue.
3. In the New/Open Site Edition (Local Station) Application dialog box, click the
Existing tab, and select the application you created in Chapter 4, “Add a device
server for Logix5000, PLC-5, or SLC 500 controllers” (we used My Local Site).

Step 2: Create a graphic display to host FactoryTalk Alarms and Events

objects
1. In the Explorer window, expand the Graphics folder, right-click Displays, and
then click New.

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A blank display appears in the workspace. Next, add Factory Talk Alarm and
Event objects to the graphic display.

Create an Alarm and Event Summary

Use the Alarm and Event Summary object to view and interact with a summary of all
the current alarms and events in an application. You can acknowledge, suppress,
disable, shelve, or unshelve alarms.
You cannot use the Alarm and Event Summary to enable or turn alarm suppression
off. To enable or turn alarm suppression off, use the Alarm Status Explorer. See
“Monitor alarms and events” on page 105. To silence an alarm, use the Alarm and
Event Banner.

You can use FactoryTalk Security to control which users can acknowledge, enable,
disable, reset, suppress, shelve, or unshelve alarms at run time in an application (or in
an area). To do this, right-click the application (or area) and then click Security on the
context menu. For details, see the FactoryTalk Security System Configuration Guide.
Step 1: Add an Alarm Summary to a graphic display
1. On the Objects menu, point to Alarm and Event, click Summary (or on the
toolbar, click the Alarm and Event Summary button, as shown at left), and then
place the cursor approximately where the object is to be on the display.
2. Hold the left mouse button down and drag it to create a rectangle the size that the
Alarm and Event Summary object should be.

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3. When the object is the correct size, release the left mouse button. The Alarm and
Event Summary object is drawn on the display.

Step 2: Change the settings of the Alarm and Event Summary display
1. Right-click anywhere in the display and then, click Display Settings on the
context menu.

In any application, do not

include more than two
graphic displays that have
Cache After Displaying
and Always Updating set
because these options can
consume large numbers of
processor cycles.

2. In the Display Settings dialog box, on the Properties tab, make the following
changes and then click OK.
 Under Cache After Displaying, click Yes and then select the Always
Updating check box.

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When you set Cache After Displaying to Yes, the display stays in memory
cache when you close it. This shortens the time required to open the graphic
display the next time you do it.
When you select the Always Updating check box, the display continues to be
updated with changes in alarm states when it is cached. This shortens the time
necessary to update the Alarm and Event Summary with current alarms when
you open it again.
If Cache After Displaying is set to No, and the Always Updating check box
is cleared, every time you close the graphic display, all alarms are removed
from the Alarm and Event Summary. When you re-open the graphic display,
the Alarm and Event Summary is blank, and then begins to receive the most
recent alarms when they occur.
 Clear the Title Bar check box.
 Select the Size to Main Window at Runtime check box.
 Select the Allow Display to be Resized check box.
 Under When Resized, select the Scale check box is if it is not already
selected.

Step 3: Save the display

1. On the File menu, click Save.
2. In the Save dialog box, type a name for the new display and then click OK.
We used Alarm and Event Summary in the example shown.

3. Close the display.

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Create an Alarm and Event Banner display

This section describes how to add an Alarm and Event Banner object to a graphic
display, and then create a startup macro that docks the Banner to the bottom of the
FactoryTalk View Site Edition Client window.
Step 1: Create a new graphic display
1. In the Explorer window, expand the Graphics folder.
2. Right-click Displays, and then click New on the context menu.

Step 2: Add an Alarm and Event Banner object to the display

1. On the Objects menu, point to Alarm and Event, click Banner (or, on the
toolbar, click the Alarm and Event Banner button, as shown at left) , and then
place the cursor approximately where the object is to be on the display.

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2. Hold the left mouse button down and drag it to create a rectangle the size that the
Alarm and Event Banner should be.

3. When the object the correct size, release the left mouse button. The Alarm and
Event Banner object is drawn on the display.

4. Resize the graphic display so that the Banner fills the graphic display (do not
leave white space). We do this because the Banner displays no more than five
alarms at a time.

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Step 3: Configure the properties of the Alarm and Event Banner

1. To open the Alarm and Event Banner Properties dialog box, double-click the
Alarm and Event Banner object. For details about all of the properties in the
dialog box, click Help in the dialog box.
2. On the General tab, click the browse button under Alarm and Event Summary
command.

This opens the Command Wizard where you will create a command to start the
Alarm and Event Summary graphic display from the Alarm and Event Banner.
3. Scroll down the list of commands on the right side of the wizard, select Display,
and then click Next.

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4. In the File list, click Alarm and Event Summary.

5. Select the Window Position check box. Scroll down the list on the right and then
click Centered of the screen.
6. Click Finish to save the Display command and add it to the Alarm and Event
Banner Properties dialog box.

7. Click OK to close the dialog box.

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Step 4: Change the display settings for the Alarm and Event Banner display
1. On the Edit menu, click Display Settings.
2. In the Display Settings dialog box, on the Properties tab, make the following
changes, and then click OK:

 Clear the Title Bar check box.

 Select Size to Main Window at Runtime.
 Select Allow Display to be Resized.
 Under When Resized, select Scale if it is not already selected.
The Alarm and Event Banner graphic display is always visible because it is
docked. You do not need to turn on Cache After Displaying, like you did for the
Alarm and Event Summary object. See “Change the settings of the Alarm and
Event Summary display” on page 77.

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Step 5: Save the graphic display

1. On the File menu, click Save.
2. In the Save dialog box, type a name for the graphic display and then click OK.
In this example, we used Alarm and Event Banner.

3. Close the graphic display.

Create a startup macro for the Banner display

This section describes how to create a startup macro. You will use the macro when
you configure the FactoryTalk View Site Edition Client. See Chapter 8, “Monitor and
interact with alarms at run time”.
Step 1: Configure a startup macro
This startup macro docks the Banner display to the bottom of the FactoryTalk View
SE Client window.
1. In FactoryTalk View Studio, in the Explorer window, double-click Macros to
open the editor.

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2. To open the Command Wizard, double-click anywhere in the body of the macro
editor.
3. In the Command Wizard, scroll down the list of commands on the right side of the
wizard, click Display, and then click Next.

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4. In the File list, click Alarm and Event Banner.

5. Select the Window Position check box. Scroll down the list on the right and then
select Docked to the bottom.
6. To save the Display command and add it to the macro, click OK.
Step 2: Save the macro
1. On the File menu, click Save.
2. In the Save dialog box, type a name for the new macro and then click OK. In this
example, we used Start Alarm and Event Banner.

Use color animation to indicate alarm state changes

In this section, you’ll use alarm expressions in FactoryTalk View to animate a
rectangle on a graphic display so that it changes color when the alarm state changes.
At run time if:
 there are active unacknowledged alarms, the rectangle flashes red.
 all active alarms have been acknowledged, the rectangle is a steady red.
 there are no active alarms but there are normal unacknowledged alarms, the
rectangle is yellow.
 there are no active or unacknowledged alarms the rectangle is green.

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Step 1: Create a new graphic display

1. In the Explorer window, expand the Graphics folder.
2. Right-click Displays, and then click New on the context menu.

Step 2: Add an Alarm and Event Summary to the graphic display

1. On the Objects menu, point to Alarm and Event, and then click Summary (or
on the toolbar, click the Alarm and Event Summary button, as shown at left).
2. Hold the left mouse button down and drag it to create a rectangle the size that the
Alarm and Event Summary object should be.
3. When the object is the desired size, release the left mouse button. The Alarm and
Event Summary object is drawn on the display.

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4. If necessary, resize either the Alarm and Event Summary object or the graphic
display to expose enough white space at the top, bottom, or on one side to add a
rectangle object that will be the alarm status indicator.

5. On the Objects menu, point to Drawing and then click Rectangle.

6. In the graphic display, hold down the left mouse button and then drag the mouse
to draw a box for the alarm status indicator.

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Step 3: Add an expression to animate the rectangle

1. Right-click the rectangle, point to Animation and then click Color on the context
menu.
To create an expression for the color animation, you can compose the expression
step by step, as explained in the following steps, or you can type the following
expression in the Expression box.
If AE_InAlmUnackedCount( "*" ) > 0 Then 0 Else
If AE_InAlmAckedCount( "*" ) > 0 Then 1 Else
If AE_NormalUnackedCount( "*" ) > 0 Then 2 Else 3

In the preceeding expression, “*” means include all alarms that are in the same
location (area) as the HMI server. If the preceeding expression is used in a network
station application or network distributed application with areas, the expression
would include all alarms from the alarm servers that are located in the same area
as the HMI server.

If you want to include alarms from other areas, use the absolute path syntax. For
example, (“/AreaName::*”).

If you type the expression instead of composing it, skip to Step 4: “Set up colors
for the alarm states” on page 93 to apply colors to each state.

2. In the Animation dialog box, click Expression.

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3. In the Expression Editor, click the If button and then click If to add the IF
condition.

4. In the Expression Editor, click Functions.

5. In the Functions dialog box, in the list of Function Categories, click Alarm and
Event.
The HMI Tag Alarming category contains functions that apply only to HMI tags
located in an HMI server. Because our alarm data is coming from a controller or a
FactoryTalk Tag Alarm and Event Server, we use the Alarm and Event
expressions.

6. In the list of functions on the right, click

AE_InAlmUnackedCount(AlarmName), and then click OK.
7. In the Expression Editor, the AE_InAlmUnackedCount( ) function appears in
the Expression box, with the cursor between the parentheses. Next, type “*” to
return a count of all alarms that are in the same location (area) as the HMI server

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and are in the In Alarm and Unacknowledged state. Next, move the cursor to the
right of the closing parenthesis.
To count the number of instances of a specific alarm, you can type a tag name
instead of the asterisk.
To include alarms from other areas, use the absolute path syntax. For example,
(“/AreaName::*”).
8. Click Relational and then click > GT for greater than.

9. In the Expression box, type 0, click If and then click Then to add a THEN
condition.
This completes the IF condition: “If the number of In Alarm, Unacknowledged
alarms is greater than 0 . . .”

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10. In the Expression box, type 0, click If and then click Else to add an ELSE
condition.
This completes the THEN condition: “If the number of In Alarm,
Unacknowledged alarms is greater than 0, then animate the rectangle to show the
colors for state 0.”

11. Follow the same process, substituting the necessary selections to add the
remaining two expressions, and then click OK.
If AE_InAlmAckedCount( "*" ) > 0 Then 1 Else (animates the rectangle to show
the colors for state 1)
If AE_NormalUnackedCount( "*" ) > 0 Then 2 Else 3 (animates the rectangle to
show the colors for state 2. If none of the conditions are true, the expression
animates the rectangle to show the colors for state 3.)

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Step 4: Set up colors for the alarm states

This step, describes how to set up colors for the rectangle, for each solution to the
expression.
1. In the Animation dialog box, under Expression, click state A.

2. In the Value box, type 0.

3. Beside Fill, select the Blink check box. A colored box is displayed so that you can
specify an alternative color.
4. Beside Fill, make sure the colored boxes are set to red (for the fill color) and black
(for the blinkalternative color).
5. Set up the colors for the remaining states:
 State B – Value = 1, Line = Black, Fill = Red
 State C – Value = 2, Line = Black, Fill = Yellow
 State D – Value = 3, Line = Black, Fill = Green
6. When you are finished setting up the colors, click Apply and then click Close.
Step 5: Save the graphic display
1. On the File menu, click Save.
2. In the Save dialog box, type a name for the graphic display and then click OK.
In this example, we used Alarm Status Indicator.

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Step 6: Test run the display

1. On the View menu, click Test Display, or click the Test Display button (shown at
left) on the toolbar.
If there are unacknowledged alarms whose alarm condition is In Alarm, the
rectangle flashes red.

2. Right-click one of the alarms, and then click Ack All on the context menu.
Because all active alarms have been acknowledged, the rectangle changes to a
steady red.

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3. Continue experimenting to observe the effects of acknowledging alarms:

 If there are no active alarms, but there are normal unacknowledged alarms,
the rectangle is yellow.

 If there are no active or unacknowledged alarms, the rectangle is green.

4. When you are finished, on the View menu, click Edit Display, or click the Edit
Display button (shown at left) on the toolbar.

Next steps
Do one of the following:
 Use the displays you just created to monitor and interact with alarms and events.
See Chapter 8, “Monitor and interact with alarms at run time”.
 Set up historical alarm and event logging. See Chapter 9, “Set up historical alarm
and event logging”.

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 Chapter 8

Monitor and interact with alarms at run time

To interact with alarms and events at run time, set up a FactoryTalk View Site Edition
Client. Next, run the FactoryTalk View Site Edition Client and then monitor the
graphic displays that host the Alarm and Event graphic objects.

Before you begin

 Be sure you have defined alarms as described in Chapter 3, “Define device-based
alarms in Logix5000 controllers”.
 Add the appropriate device server as described in Chapter 4, “Add a device server
for Logix5000, PLC-5, or SLC 500 controllers” or Chapter 6, “Add a tag-based
alarm server for Logix5000, PLC-5, SLC 500, or third-party controllers”.
 Set up and configure any graphic display objects as described in Chapter 7, “Set
up graphic displays”.

What you need

 RSLinx Enterprise software
 FactoryTalk View SE software
 FactoryTalk View SE Client software

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Follow these steps

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Create and then run a FactoryTalk View Client configuration

To run an application and monitor graphic displays for alarm messages, start the
FactoryTalk View Site Edition Client.
For this example, be sure that the controller is running the West_Plant_Controller
program that we created in Chapter 3, and that you have tripped the alarm (right-
click the rung contact and then click Toggle Bit).

Step 1: Create a FactoryTalk View Site Edition Client configuration file

1. To open the FactoryTalk View SE Client Wizard, click Start > All Programs >
Rockwell Software > FactoryTalk View > FactoryTalk View Site Edition
Client .

2. In the FactoryTalk View SE Client Wizard, click New.

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3. In the FactoryTalk View SE Client Configuration Name dialog box, type a name
for the configuration file. In this example, we used Alarms and Events Demo.
Keep the default path for the configuration file and click Next.

For details about using the FactoryTalk View Site Edition Client Wizard, click the
Help button in the wizard.
4. In the FactoryTalk View SE Client Application Type dialog box, select Local
Station and then click Next.

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5. In the FactoryTalk View SE Client Application Name dialog box, select the name
of the application you plan to connect to, and then click Next.
In this example, we used the My Local Site application that we created in Chapter
7, “Set up graphic displays”.

6. In the FactoryTalk View SE Client Components dialog box, select the FactoryTalk
View components that run when the FactoryTalk View Site Edition Client starts.
In the Startup macro list, select Start Alarm and Event Banner, and then click
Next.

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7. In the FactoryTalk View SE Client Window Properties dialog box, configure how
the FactoryTalk View SE Client window will look at run time. In this example, we
entered Show Me Alarms in the Title bar text field. At run time, this text is
displayed at the top of the Client window. Do not change any of the other settings
in this dialog box. Click Next.

8. In the FactoryTalk View SE Client Auto Logout dialog box, you can configure the
Client to log out automatically after a period of inactivity. In this example, we
accepted the default setting. Click Next.

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9. In the FactoryTalk View SE Client Completion Options dialog box, select Save
configuration and open FactoryTalk View SE Client now, and then click
Finish.

The Client window opens with the Alarm and Event Banner docked at the bottom.

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Step 2: Open the Alarm and Event Summary from the Alarm and Event
Banner
1. In the Alarm and Event Banner, click the Alarm and Event Summary button
(shown at left). The Alarm and Event Summary opens, and is similar to the
following graphic display.

Step 3: Next steps

Do one of the following:
 Monitor and interact with alarms and events as shown in the next section.
 Set up historical logging for alarms and events using the displays and startup
macros created in this chapter and in Chapter 7, “Set up graphic displays”. See
Chapter 9, “Set up historical alarm and event logging”.

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Monitor alarms and events

The data fields in the Alarm and Event Banner window are organized in columns, and
represent various alarm and event data. At run time, only the columns that were
configured at design time to be visible are displayed in the Alarm and Event Banner.
In our example, the status bar shows (from left to right):

 the connection status of the Tag Alarm and Event Server — whether connected or
disconnected from the Alarm and Event Banner. The green icon shows that the
Tag Alarm and Event Server is connected. When disconnected, the icon flashes
red.
 the number of alarms that are In Alarm and Unacknowledged
 the number of alarms that are In Alarm and Acknowledged
 the number of alarms that are Normal and Unacknowledged
 the number of alarm faults
The icons in the body of the Banner list:

Priority Alarm State Time and date

Medium In Alarm and The time the alarm event

Unacknowledged occurred.

To see all of the possible priorities and alarms states for the Alarm and Event objects,
see FactoryTalk Help. On the Windows Start menu, click Start, point to All
Programs > Rockwell Software > FactoryTalk Tools and then click FactoryTalk
Help.

Security for alarms and events

You can use FactoryTalk Security to control which users can acknowledge, enable,
disable, reset, suppress, or shelve alarms at run time in an application (or in an area).
To do this, in FactoryTalk View Studio or FactoryTalk Administration Console, right-
click the application (or area) where the alarms are located and then click Security on
the context menu. For details, see the FactoryTalk Security System Configuration
Guide.

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Acknowledge an alarm
When you acknowledge an alarm it does not correct the condition causing the alarm,
but indicates that an operator is aware of the alarm.
The Digital Alarm Properties, Level Alarm Properties, and Deviation Alarm
Properties dialog boxes each contain a Control Tags tab that allows you to
acknowledge alarms by using tags in the controller. You can see the acknowledged
alarms displayed in the Alarm and Event client objects.
 At runtime, the alarm state changes to Acknowledged when the remote
acknowledge tag value is changed to positive.
 Functions of the alarm importing and exporting were modified to support the
new remote acknowledgement feature.
See the Help for more information on using the Control Tags tab.

A single tag might have several alarm conditions In Alarm. Each alarm condition must
be acknowledged separately. For example, a tag that monitors a temperature might
trigger HI and HIHI alarm conditions by the time it is acknowledged. The alarm could
also go into and out of alarm several times before it is acknowledged.
Previous occurrences of an alarm that have gone Out of Alarm and then back In Alarm
cannot be acknowledged. These old occurrences are called “out of scope” and are
displayed in the alarm list with a different icon. When the most recent occurrence of
an alarm is acknowledged, previous occurrences are removed from the alarm list.
To acknowledge the selected alarm:
In the Alarm and Event Summary event list, do one of the following:
 Select the alarms you want to acknowledge, and then click the Acknowledge
selected alarm button, shown at left.
 Select the alarms you want to acknowledge, right-click the selected alarms, and
then click Ack on the context menu.

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To acknowledge the selected alarm and enter a comment:

1. In the Alarm and Event Summary event list, do one of the following:
 Select the alarms you want to acknowledge, and then click Acknowledge
selected alarm with comment.
 Select the alarms you want to acknowledge, right-click the selected alarms,
and then click Ack Comment on the context menu.

2. In the Acknowledge Alarm with Comment dialog box, type a comment, and
then click Acknowledge. If historical logging is set up, the comment is displayed
in the Alarm and Event Log as part of the Tracking event that is generated from
the Acknowledge command.

You can view the last comment that was entered for an operation (for example,
ack, disable, suppress) in the Alarm Details dialog box. To view a comment
associated with an alarm state, select an alarm and then click the Show details for
the selected alarm button on the toolbar. In the Alarm Details dialog box, expand
an alarm state (Disabled, Suppressed, Acknowledged, and so on) to view the
comment associated with that state.

To acknowledge all of the alarms displayed on the page:

In the Alarm and Event Summary toolbar, do one of the following:
 Click Ack page of alarms. All alarms currently visible in the event list are
acknowledged.

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 Right-click one of the alarms and then click Ack Page on the context menu.

To acknowledge all of the alarms in the event list:

In the Alarm and Event Summary toolbar, do one of the following:
 Click Acknowledge all alarms contained in list. All alarms in the event list are
acknowledged, even if they are not all visible. However, if the list is filtered,
alarms that are filtered out are not acknowledged.
 Right-click one of the alarms, and then click Ack All on the context menu.

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Disable or enable an alarm

Disabled alarms
When an alarm is disabled the operator is not notified when the alarm condition
occurs and the alarm is removed from the Alarm and Event Banner. An alarm that is
disabled is effectively turned off in the controller. The alarm condition is no longer
monitored and notifications are not generated by the controller. Disabled alarms do
not sound the alarm bell in the Alarm and Event Banner. Unacknowledged disabled
alarms are displayed in the Alarm and Event Summary. To enable alarms, use the
Alarm Status Explorer. See “To enable an alarm:” on page 111.

Unlike a silenced alarm, a disabled alarm does not trigger the alarm bell in the Alarm
and Event Banner if the alarm condition occurs again after the alarm was disabled.
Disable alarms that are related to equipment that is being shut down or serviced.
Enabled alarms
When an alarm is enabled, the operator is notified when the alarm condition occurs.
Enabled alarms sound the alarm bell, and continue appearing as new events in the
Alarm and Event Summary, unless they are suppressed.
You can use FactoryTalk Security to control who can disable or suppress alarms. If a
user attempts to perform an operation for which they do not have the required
security rights, the operation will fail and a message will be displayed stating that
the user has insufficient rights to perform the operation. To add another level of
security, the Alarm and Event Summary can be configured not to show the toolbar
buttons, which also hides those operations on the context menu.

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To disable selected alarms:

1. In the Alarm and Event Summary event list, do one of the following:
 Select the alarms you want to disable, and then on the toolbar, click the
Disable selected alarm button.
 Select the alarms you want to disable, right-click the selected alarms, and then
click Disable on the context menu.

2. In the Disable Alarm dialog box, type a comment (for example, to explain why
the alarm is disabled) and then click Disable.

This comment is stored with the alarm and is logged to the Comment field in the
Alarm and Event Log, which you can view using the Alarm and Event Log
Viewer.

Any alarms you disable stay in that state until you enable them again. You must use
the Alarm Status Explorer to enable alarms.

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To enable an alarm:
1. In the Alarm and Event Summary window, do one of the following:
 If it is visible on the toolbar, click the Display the Alarm Status Explorer
button.
 If the toolbar button is not visible, right-click an alarm in the Alarm and Event
Summary event list, and then click Alarm Status on the context menu.

2. In the Alarm Status Explorer window, select the alarms you want to enable and
then click the Enable selected alarm button.

Any alarms you enable stay in that state until you disable them again.
For details about the other features of the Alarm Status Explorer, click Help in the
dialog box.

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Suppress or unsuppress an alarm

You can suppress an alarm that is not needed temporarily; for example, because the
alarm is caused by another alarm that you are already addressing. You can suppress or
unsuppress up to 2000 alarms at one time.
 A suppressed alarm is not displayed in the Alarm and Event Banner.
If an alarm is displayed in the Alarm and Event Banner and then suppressed, it is
removed from the alarm list.
 An unacknowledged suppressed alarm is displayed in the Alarm and Event
Summary.
If an alarm is displayed in the Alarm and Event Summary and then suppressed, it
is only removed from the alarm list when it is acknowledged.
 A suppressed alarm continues to be logged in the alarm history log, which you can
view using the Alarm and Event Log Viewer. See Chapter 9, “Set up historical
alarm and event logging” for more information.
 A suppressed alarm also continues to set the appropriate InAlarm parameters of an
alarm instruction in the controller.
Disable an alarm instead of suppressing it if you want to completely turn off the alarm
detection logic for the alarm source, and prevent the alarm from being detected. See
“Disable or enable an alarm” on page 109.
To suppress an alarm:
1. In the Alarm and Event Summary event list, do one of the following:
 Select the alarms you want to suppress and then click the Suppress selected
alarm button.
 Select the alarms you want to suppress, right-click the selected alarms, and
then click Suppress on the context menu.

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2. In the Suppress Alarm window, type a comment, to explain why you suppressed
the alarm, and then click Suppress.

This comment is stored with the alarm and is logged to the Comment field in the
Alarm and Event Log, which you can view using the Alarm and Event Log
Viewer.
Unsuppress an alarm
Unsuppress an alarm that was previously suppressed if an alarm that was not needed
temporarily now needs to be monitored again. For example, an operator might have
suppressed an alarm because the alarm was caused by another alarm that an operator
was already attending to.
An unacknowledged suppressed alarm is displayed in the Alarm and Event Summary.
To unsuppress an alarm:
1. In the Alarm and Event Summary window, right-click an alarm and then click
Alarm Status on the context menu.

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2. In the Alarm Status Explorer window, select the alarm or alarms you want to
unsuppress, and then click the Unsuppress selected alarm button on the toolbar.

You can filter alarm sources to make it easier to find the alarm you want. In the
Name box, type all or part of an alarm name, or select an alarm status from the
list. You can use the * and ? wildcard characters in the filter. For details about
filtering alarm sources, see FactoryTalk Help. On the Windows Start menu, click
Start, point to All Programs > Rockwell Software > FactoryTalk Tools and then
click FactoryTalk Help.

3. In the Unsuppress Alarm dialog box, type a comment to explain why the alarm is
unsuppressed, and then click Unsuppress.

This comment is stored with the alarm and is logged to the Comment field in the
Alarm and Event Log, which you can view using the Alarm and Event Log
Viewer if historical logging has been configured.
For details about the other features of the Alarm Status Explorer, click the Help button
in the dialog box.

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Shelve or unshelve an alarm

Shelving an alarm temporarily suppresses it. When shelving, the operator specifies a
duration for the alarm to remain shelved. The alarm is automatically unshelved when
the duration runs out.

Shelving is supported in Logix Designer version 21 or later.

A shelved alarm is displayed in the Alarm and Event Summary or Alarm Status
Explorer. However, a shelved alarm is not displayed in the Alarm and Event Banner.
Disable an alarm instead of shelving it if you want to completely turn off the alarm
detection logic for the alarm source, and prevent the alarm from being detected. See
“Disable or enable an alarm” on page 109 for more information.
To shelve an alarm:
1. In the Alarm and Event Summary event list, do one of the following:
 Select the alarm you want to shelve and click the Shelve selected alarm
button on the toolbar.
 Right-click the alarm you want to shelve and select Shelve.

2. The Shelve Alarm dislaog box displays.

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In the dialog box, enter the following information if desired:

Field Description
Alarm name Shows the name of the selected alarm.
If multiple alarms are selected, it is displayed as
"Multiple (x alarms selected)" where x is the total
count of selected alarms.
Shelve duration Specifies the period of time the alarm should be
shelved. Once the shelve duration expires, the alarm is
unshelved. The value must be a whole number.
 Default: 1
 Minimum: 1
 Maximum: 2147483647
Comment (optional) Specifies the reason for shelving the alarm.
The default value is empty. The maximum length is
512 characters.
This comment is stored with the alarm and is logged to
the UserComment field in the alarm database, which
you can view using the Alarm and Event Log Viewer.

3. When complete, click Shelve.

When you reshelve alarms, the conditions vary depending on the type of alarms:

If you reshelve... Then...

a digital alarm The alarm is shelved with the new specified duration. The
alarm unshelve time is also updated accordingly.
an analog alarm If one or more of the alarm conditions you reshelve were
previously shelved, the alarm condition is shelved with the
new specified duration and the alarm unshelve time is also
updated accordingly.
If none of the alarm conditions you reshelve were
previously shelved, the alarm condition is shelved targeting
to the old unshelve time.

To unshelve an alarm:
If alarms that were previously shelved need to be monitored again, you can unshelve
the specified alarms in the Alarm Status Explorer.

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1. In the Alarm and Event Summary window, right-click an alarm and then click
Alarm Status on the context menu.

2. In the Alarm Status Explorer window, select the alarm or alarms you want to
unshelve, and then click the Unshelve selected alarm button on the toolbar.

3. In the Unshelve Alarm dialog box, enter a comment to explain why the alarm is
unshelved and then click Unshelve.

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The comment is stored with the alarm and is logged to the Comment field in the
Alarm and Event Log, which you can view using the Alarm and Event Log
Viewer if historical logging has been configured.
You can also unshelve all shelved alarms in the Alarm and Event Summary:
1. In the Alarm and Event Summary event list, do one of the following:
 On the toolbar, click the Unshelve all alarms button.
 Right-click and select Unshelve All.

2. The Unshelve All Alarms dialog box displays. Enter a comment to explain why
the alarms are unshelved and then click Unshelve All.

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Set up historical alarm and event logging

Use the FactoryTalk Alarm and Event Log Viewer to view alarms and events that have
been logged to a Microsoft SQL Server database that is configured to store historical
alarm and event data.
If you do not have a Microsoft SQL Server database installed, we recommend that
you install it using the batch file available on the FactoryTalk View installation DVD
in the FTView\Redist folder. For installation instructions, see Appendix D, “Install
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 SP2 Express”.
If you already have Microsoft SQL Server installed, you may need to change the
configuration options to log alarm and event messages. For configuration
instructions, see “Use an existing Microsoft SQL Server database” on page 203.

Use the Alarm and Event Log Viewer to display entries corresponding to all event
types or to filter the events you want to view. Alarms and events generated during run
time can be logged to a Microsoft SQL Server database.
Simple Events are not supported in this release. A simple event describes a simple
occurrence in the system, such as failure to access a computer or device.
Condition-related events — those that relate to changes in alarm state —and
tracking-related events — those that monitor audited changes to the system — are
supported in this release.

To set up historical alarm and event logging, follow these steps. Each step is explained
in detail in this chapter.
 Confirm that the Microsoft SQL Server software is installed.
 Add a database definition to your FactoryTalk system.
 Associate a database definition with an alarm and event server.
 Add an Alarm and Event Log Viewer object to a graphic display.
 Run the FactoryTalk View Site Edition Client software and then monitor the
graphic display.

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Before you begin

 If you do not already have Microsoft SQL Server software installed, you can
install it from the FTView\Redist folder on the FactoryTalk View installation
DVD. For installation insructions, see Appendix D, “Install Microsoft SQL Server
2008 R2 SP2 Express”.

 Define alarms as described in Chapter 3, “Define device-based alarms in

Logix5000 controllers” and Chapter 6, “Add a tag-based alarm server for
Logix5000, PLC-5, SLC 500, or third-party controllers” (optional).
 Add the appropriate device server as described in Chapter 4, “Add a device server
for Logix5000, PLC-5, or SLC 500 controllers”.
 Set up graphic display objects as described in Chapter 7, “Set up graphic
displays”.

What you need

 RSLinx Enterprise software
 FactoryTalk View Studio software
 FactoryTalk View SE Client software
 Microsoft SQL Server software

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Follow these steps

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Confirm that the Microsoft SQL Server software is installed

To log historical alarms and events, you can either install Microsoft SQL Server or
you can use an existing Microsoft SQL Server database already installed on your
network. If you are using an existing Microsoft SQL Server database you will need to
set up your database for alarm and event logging. See “Summary of steps” on
page 198.
FactoryTalk Alarms and Events can log historical data to any of the supported SQL
Server databases. For more information, see Appendix E, “Supported SQL Server
databases”.
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 SP2 Express software is available on the the
FactoryTalk View installation DVD in the FTView\Redist\SQLServerEXPR_2008R2SP2
folder.
To install Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 SP2 Express, see Appendix D, “Install
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 SP2 Express”.
If you are using an existing Microsoft SQL Server database, see Appendix E, “Use an
existing Microsoft SQL Server database”

Add a database definition to your FactoryTalk system

Create a database definition that specifies the connection information for the database
and creates the required database objects.
Step 1: Open an existing application in FactoryTalk View Studio
1. To run FactoryTalk View Studio, on the Windows Start menu, click Start> All
Programs > Rockwell Software > FactoryTalk View > FactoryTalk View
Studio.
2. In the Application Type Selection window, select View Site Edition (Local
Station) and then click Continue.

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3. In the New/Open Site Edition (Local Station) Application dialog box, click the
Existing tab, and then select the My Local Site application that you created in
Chapter 4, “Add a device server for Logix5000, PLC-5, or SLC 500 controllers”.

Step 2: Create a new database connection

1. In the Explorer window, expand the folders System > Connections and then
right-click the Databases folder. On the context menu, click New Database.

2. In the Alarm and Event Historian Database Properties dialog box, configure
properties for the new database definition.
In this example, we used FTAE_History for the definition name and database
name, FTAE_Historian for the database user name, as well as password for the

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password. Select the version of SQL Server you are using. For details, click Help
on the dialog box.

To improve efficiency when

writing to the database,
information is sent to a cache
file located on the computer
hosting the alarm server
before writing to the database.

3. Click the Advanced tab. The system will attempt to create the database, the user
account, and the tables that are necessary to store the alarm and event information.

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If the database or user does not already exist in SQL Server, you are prompted to
create them. Click Yes.

Limit how much

information is cached to
files if the database
connection is lost. After
the limits are reached
the oldest information is
overwritten.

4. Configure the settings for the Alarm and Event Historian Database.
If the connection to the database is lost, alarm and event information will continue
to be cached to files. After the connection is restored, the cached information will
be sent to the database.
5. When you finish, click OK. If you are prompted to create the database, click Yes.
The database definition is added to the Databases folder and is ready for use.

Associate a database definition with an alarm server

To set up an RSLinx Enterprise device server (device-based server) or a FactoryTalk
Tag Alarm and Event Server (tag-based server) to log historical alarm and event data
to a database, you must associate a database definition with the alarm server.
If no alarm history database is associated with an alarm server, the alarm server does
not log any historical data. You can associate different alarm servers with different
alarm history databases, or you can have all alarm servers log their data to the same
database.
For details about setting up alarm servers, see Chapter 4, “Add a device server for
Logix5000, PLC-5, or SLC 500 controllers” or Chapter 6, “Add a tag-based alarm
server for Logix5000, PLC-5, SLC 500, or third-party controllers”.
Step 1: Open an existing application in FactoryTalk View Studio
1. To run FactoryTalk View Studio, click Start > All Programs > Rockwell
Software > FactoryTalk View > FactoryTalk View Studio.
2. In the Application Type Selection window, select View Site Edition (Local
Station) and then click Continue.

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3. In the New/Open Site Edition (Local Station) Application dialog box, click the
Existing tab, and then select the My Local Site application that you created in
Chapter 4, “Add a device server for Logix5000, PLC-5, or SLC 500 controllers”.

Step 2: Configure the alarm server

1. In the Explorer window, expand the application tree until each alarm server is
visible.

2. Right-click the alarm server named FTAE Server that you created in Chapter 4,
“Add a device server for Logix5000, PLC-5, or SLC 500 controllers”. On the
context menu, click Properties.

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3. For an RSLinx Enterprise Device Server, do the following and then click OK:

 In the RSLinx Enterprise Server Properties dialog box, click the Alarms
and Events tab.
 Under Alarm and Event History, select the Enable history check box.
 In the Database definition list, select a definition (for this example, we used
FTAE_History).

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4. For a Tag Alarm and Event Server, do the following and then click OK:

 In the Tag Alarm and Event Server Properties dialog box, click the
Priorities and History tab.
 Under Alarm History, select the Enable history check box.
 In the Database Definition list, select a definition.

Create an Alarm and Event Log Viewer display

Use the Alarm and Event Log Viewer to view alarm and event information previously
logged in a Microsoft SQL database configured to store historical data.
Step 1: Open an existing application in FactoryTalk View Studio
1. To run FactoryTalk View Studio, click Start > All Programs > Rockwell
Software > FactoryTalk View > FactoryTalk View Studio.
2. In the Application Type Selection window, select View Site Edition (Local
Station) and then click Continue.
3. In the New/Open Site Edition (Local Station) Application dialog box, click the
Existing tab, and select the My Local Site application that you created in Chapter
4, “Add a device server for Logix5000, PLC-5, or SLC 500 controllers”.

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Step 2: Create a new graphic display

1. In the Explorer window, expand the Graphics folder, right-click Displays, and
then click New.

A blank display appears in the workspace.

2. If necessary, resize the graphic display to about the same size as the one you
created for the Alarm and Event Summary.

Step 3: Add an Alarm and Event Log Viewer object to the display
1. On the Objects menu, point to Alarm and Event and then click Log Viewer (or
click the Alarm and Event Log Viewer toolbar button, as shown at left).
2. Hold the left mouse button down and drag the mouse to create a rectangle that is
the size required for the Alarm and Event Log Viewer object.

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3. When the object is the correct size, release the left mouse button. The Alarm and
Event Log Viewer object is drawn on the graphic display.

Step 4: Configure the properties of the Alarm and Event Log Viewer
1. To open the Alarm and Event Log Viewer Properties dialog box, double-click
the Alarm and Event Log Viewer object.

2. On the General tab, select the alarm log whose entries you want to view. In the
previous example, we selected FTAE_History. This is the SQL database we
created in “Associate a database definition with an alarm server” on page 125.
3. Click the Columns tab, and then clear the Area check box.
4. On the other tabs, set properties to customize the Log Viewer display, as desired.
For details, click Help in the dialog box.
5. When you are finished, click OK to close the dialog box.

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Step 5: Save the graphic display

1. On the File menu, click Save.
2. In the Save dialog box, type a name for the new display and then click OK.
In this example, we used Alarm and Event Log Viewer for the name of the
graphic display.

3. Close the graphic display.

Create a button to open the Alarm and Event Log Viewer display
We will add a button to open the Alarm and Event Log Viewer display in the same
FactoryTalk View Client window as the Alarm and Event Banner display.
Step 1: Create a new graphic display
1. In the Explorer window, expand the Graphics folder, right-click Displays, and
then click New.

2. If necessary, resize the graphic display to about the same size as the one you
created for the Alarm and Event Summary.

Step 2: Add a button to the graphic display

1. On the Objects menu, point to Push Button, and then click Button (or click the
Button button on the toolbar).
2. Hold the left mouse button down and drag the mouse to create a rectangle the
correct size for the button and then release the mouse button.

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3. In the Button Properties dialog box, click the Action tab.

Step 3: Configure the button commands

1. Click the browse button to the right of the Press action field, to open the
Command Wizard.

2. In the Command Categories pane on the left, expand Graphics > Graphic
Displays > Navigation.
3. In the list of commands on the right, click Display, and then click Next.

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4. In the File list, select the name of the graphic display that is to open when the
button is clicked.
In this example, we want the button to start the Alarm and Event Log Viewer, so
we select Alarm and Event Log Viewer.

5. To close the Command Wizard, click Finish. In the Button Properties dialog
box, the command Display “Alarm and Event Viewer /CC” appears in the Press
action box.

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6. Click the Up Appearance tab.

7. In the Caption box, type Run the Alarm and Event Log Viewer. Press the Enter
key after “Alarm” so that the text wraps to the next line. This is the text that will
appear on the button.
8. Click OK to save the button configuration. The button is drawn on the graphic
display.

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Step 4: Configure the properties of the graphic display

1. On the Edit menu, click Display Settings.

2. In the Display Settings dialog box, make the following changes on the Properties
tab and then click OK:
 Clear the Title Bar check box.
 Select the Size to Main Window at Runtime check box.
 Select the Allow Display to be Resized check box.
 Under When Resized, select Scale option if it is not already selected.

Step 5: Save the graphic display

1. On the File menu, click Save.
2. In the Save dialog box, type a name for the new graphic display, and then click
OK.
In this example, we used Menu Bar for the name of the graphic display.

Create a startup macro for the Menu Bar display

This section shows you how to modify the startup macro you created in Chapter 7,
“Set up graphic displays”. This example shows you how to add commands to the
startup macro that will open the button display you just created and dock it to the top
of the client window.

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Step 1: Edit the startup macro

1. In FactoryTalk View Studio, in the Explorer window, double-click the Start
Alarm and Event Banner macro.
The macro editor opens, showing the Banner display command (Display “Alarm
and Event Banner” /DB).
2. To open the Command Wizard, double-click anywhere in the body of the macro
editor.
3. In the list of commands on the right, select Display and then click Next.

4. In the File list, click Menu Bar.

5. Select the Window Position check box. In the list of window positions, click
Docked to the Top.

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6. To save the configuration and display it in the macro editor, click Finish.

Step 2: Save the startup macro

1. On the File menu, click Save.
2. Close the macro editor.

View historical alarm data in a FactoryTalk View SE Client

Use the Alarm and Event Log Viewer — embedded in a FactoryTalk View graphic
display — to view, sort, filter, and export historical alarm information stored in Alarm
and Event Logs.
With the Alarm and Event Log Viewer, you can:
 display alarm and event information that has been logged by the FactoryTalk
Alarm and Event Historian
 define filters to determine which logged alarms and events will be displayed
 sort the alarms and events that will be displayed

Run the application

You can open the FactoryTalk View Site Edition Client in various ways.
 from the Windows Start menu in Chapter 8, “Monitor and interact with alarms at
run time”
 from within FactoryTalk View Studio, which is covered in this section
 by double-clicking a FactoryTalk View SE Client configuration file (*.cli)

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To start the FactoryTalk View SE Client from within

FactoryTalk View Studio:
1. If FactoryTalk View Studio is not still open, click Start > All Programs >
Rockwell Software > FactoryTalk View Enterprise> FactoryTalk View
Studio.
2. In the Application Type Selection window, select View Site Edition (Local
Station) and then click Continue.
3. In the New/Open Site Edition (Local Station) Application dialog box, click
Cancel.
4. In FactoryTalk View Studio, on the toolbar, click the Launch SE Client button.

5. In the Launch FactoryTalk View SE Client dialog box, select Alarms and Events
Demo.cli and then click OK.

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The FactoryTalk View SE Client opens after a few moments. The button appears
at the top of the window and the Alarm and Event Banner appears at the bottom.

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6. Click the Run Alarm and Event Log Viewer button to make the Log Viewer
appear in the middle of the Client window:

7. Click the Run Alarm and Event Summary button on the Banner display at the
bottom of the window. The Summary display replaces the Log Viewer.

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For details about enabling, disabling, suppressing, unsuppressing, shelving,

unshelving, and acknowledging alarms, see Chapter 8, “Monitor and interact with
alarms at run time” or see FactoryTalk Help by clicking Start > All Programs >
Rockwell Software > FactoryTalk Tools > FactoryTalk Help.

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 Chapter 10

Configure redundancy for alarms and events

This chapter describes how to configure Factory Alarms and Events device-based and
tag-based alarm server redundancy. Redundancy requirements are unique to each
application. The ideal redundant solution involves having at least two instances of
everything – hardware, software, and networks. In practice, this is seldom necessary.
Redundant FactoryTalk server components duplicate server information on a
secondary computer that is used if a primary server computer fails.
Server redundancy is typically used to maximize system availability in case of:
 Computer hardware failure
 Software failure on one server computer
 Power failure on one server computer

FactoryTalk server redundancy can be configured for:

 FactoryTalk Site Edition HMI servers
 FactoryTalk Alarms and Events servers
 Data servers (RSLinx Enterprise or OPC Data Server)
For more information on planning and implementing a FactoryTalk distributed
network application, see FactoryTalk View Site Edition Distributed System Design
Considerations.
FactoryTalk Alarms and Events server redundancy and data server redundancy are
only supported in network station applications and network distributed
applications.
FactoryTalk HMI server redundancy is only supported in network distributed
applications.

Develop and test your application without redundancy

It is good practice when developing a FactoryTalk Alarms and Events application to
develop and test with all alarm servers configured without redundancy. This approach
effectively reduces the size and complexity of the application system during the
development and test phases.
Adding alarm server redundancy at the end of development to a properly planned
network station application or network distributed application will not require any
changes in graphic displays that are already developed and working properly.

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Existing alarm servers and tag data servers can be configured to support redundancy if
the distributed system supporting your FactoryTalk application has been adequately
planned and prepared beforehand.
If favor current is selected and a redundant switchover occurs, the secondary server
remains active in the application even after the primary server is recovered and
available once again.
Favor current is the default behavior. When it is selected you can perform manual
switchovers from primary to secondary and back again. This can be useful for testing
redundant applications. You can change this selection at any time.
You can change the redundant server configuration from favor current to favor
primary any time that both servers are running and connected to the network station
application or network distributed application.

Before you begin

To implement redundant servers, the steps depend on whether you are using a device-
based alarm server or a tag-based alarm server.
 Plan and implement your FactoryTalk distributed system, taking into
consideration which components require redundancy, the network layout of the
components in the system, the CPU processing load that is expected for each
component, and the software required to be installed on each component.
 Configure alarm servers and tag data servers as required. Initially, configure these
servers without redundancy. Verify that all of the configured tags and alarms are
working properly.
 Be sure all graphic displays are working properly on the FactoryTalkapplication
with alarm servers configured without redundancy.
 For each redundant alarm server, choose either favor primary or favor current
behavior.

What you need

If you are using device-based alarm servers:
 RSLinx Enterprise and FactoryTalk Alarms and Events installed and running on
the primary server computer, configured and working as a non-redundant
component.
 RSLinx Enterprise and FactoryTalk Alarms and Events installed and running on
the secondary server computer.
 FactoryTalk View Studio or FactoryTalk Administration Console running on a
development station or other component connected in the FactoryTalk
application.

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If you are using tag-based alarm servers:

 RSLinx Enterprise or OPC Data Server installed, configured and running on a
separate component configured in the FactoryTalk application, or configured for
redundancy and running on the primary and secondary server computers as a
redundant pair.
 FactoryTalk Alarms and Events installed and running on the primary server
computer, configured and working as a non-redundant component.
 FactoryTalk Alarms and Events installed and running on the secondary server
computer.
 FactoryTalk View Studio or FactoryTalk Administration Console running on a
development station or other component configured in the FactoryTalk
application.

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Follow these steps

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Upgrade an existing device-based alarm server

In this section, you will upgrade a configured Rockwell Automation device-based
alarm server (RSLinx Enterprise) to support redundancy using a secondary computer
already configured in the FactoryTalk network distributed application.
Step 1: Open the application in FactoryTalk View Studio
This example shows how to open an existing network distributed application in
FactoryTalk View Studio.
1. To run FactoryTalk View Studio, on the Windows Start menu, click Start > All
Programs > Rockwell Software > FactoryTalk View > FactoryTalk View
Studio.
2. In the Application Type Selection window, select View Site Edition (Network
Distributed) and then click Continue.

3. In the New/Open Site Edition (Network Distributed) Application dialog box with
the Existing tab selected, under the heading Application Name, select the name of
the existing application. In this example, we named the application My Network
App.

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4. Click Open.

Step 2: Select the device alarm server

1. In the Explorer window, open the application My Network App and find the
device alarm server, for example, FTAE Server.

Step 3: Configure the alarm server properties

1. In the Explorer window, right-click the alarm server FTAE Server and then select
Properties.
2. In the RSLinx Enterprise Server Properties dialog box, click the Redundancy tab.
Select the Provide redundancy using a secondary server check box.
3. In the Redundancy tab, click Browse.
If your distributed network application has been planned and implemented
beforehand as recommended, then the secondary server computer name will be
listed in the Select Computer dialog box.

4. Select the name of the secondary server computer in the Select Computer dialog
box and then click OK.
You may want to select Favor current to use manual switchover to test the
redundant pair. You can change the selection when testing is complete.

5. In the Redundancy tab, Continue using the secondary server even when the
primary server becomes available again is selected by default. This selects
favor current behavior. If you want favor primary behavior, select Switch over
to primary server when it becomes available again.

Step 4: Open the Communication Setup editor

1. In the Explorer window, click the RSLinx Enterprise server FTAE Server, and then
double-click Communication Setup.
2. Before the Communication Setup dialog box appears, an RSLinx Enterprise
information pop-up dialog box appears. To save the changes, click OK.
The secondary controller is normally the same device as the primary controller but
a different path may be used on the Primary tab. For instance, the secondary path
may pass through an alternate bridge device in order to provide redundancy at the
communications level.

3. To set the path to the secondary controller, click the Apply button.
4. To save the shortcut configuration and close the Communication Setup dialog
box, click OK.

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Upgrade an existing tag-based alarm server

In this section, you will upgrade a configured Rockwell Automation tag-based alarm
server to support redundancy using a secondary computer configured in the
FactoryTalk network distributed application.
Step 1: Open the application in FactoryTalk View Studio
This example shows how to open an existing network distributed application in
FactoryTalk View Studio.
1. To start FactoryTalk View Studio, on the Windows Start menu, click Start > All
Programs > Rockwell Software > FactoryTalk View > FactoryTalk View
Studio.
2. In the Application Type Selection window, select View Site Edition (Network
Distributed) and then click Continue.
3. In the New/Open Site Edition (Network Distributed) Application dialog box with
the Existing tab selected, under the heading Application Name, select the name of
the existing application. In this example, we named the application My Network
App.

4. Click Open.

Step 2: Select the tag alarm server

1. In the Explorer window, open the application My Network App and find the tag-
based alarm server, for example, TagAE.
Step 3: Configure the alarm server properties
1. In the Explorer window, right-click the alarm server TagAE and then select
Properties.
2. In the Tag Alarm and Event Server Properties dialog box, click the General tab.
Select the Load when operating system initializes startup type option.
The configuration options on the Redundancy tab will be disabled if the Load when
operation system initialized option is not selected on the General tab. This is
because redundant servers need to be running and available in order to exchange
redundant information in preparation for an unexpected switchover, even when the
HMI application is not actually running.

3. In the Tag Alarm and Event Server Properties dialog box, click the
Redundancy tab.
4. Select the Provide redundancy using a secondary server check box.
5. Select the secondary server computer from the computer list and then click OK.
If your distributed network application has been planned and implemented
beforehand as recommended, then the secondary server computer name will be
listed in the Select Computer dialog box.

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6. In the Tag Alarm and Event Server Properties dialog box, the switchbackup option
Continue using the secondary server even when the primary server becomes
available again is selected by default. This selects favor current behavior. If you
want favor primary behavior, click the option Switch over to primary server
when it becomes available again.
You may want to select Favor current to use manual switchover to test the
redundant pair. You can change the selection later, if necessary, once testing is
completed.

Check the status of an alarm server

Follow this example anytime you change the configuration properties and settings of
an alarm server.
After changing the alarm server configuration you need to reboot the server computer.
For a network distributed application or nework station application, the recommended
start up sequence is:
 FactoryTalk Directory server
 Primary server computers
 Secondary server computers
 Operator workstations
This example demonstrates how to check the status of a redundant alarm server in
FactoryTalk View Studio using the device alarm server FTAE Server created in
Chapter 4, “Add a device server for Logix5000, PLC-5, or SLC 500 controllers”.
Step 1: Open the application in FactoryTalk View Studio
1. To start FactoryTalk View Studio, on the Windows Start menu, click Start > All
Programs > Rockwell Software > FactoryTalk View > FactoryTalk View
Studio.
2. In the Application Type Selection window, select View Site Edition (Network
Distributed), and then click Continue.
3. In the New/Open Site Edition (Network Distributed) Application dialog box, on
the Existing tab, select the name of the existing application. In this example, we
named the application My Network App.
4. Click Open.

Step 2: Select the device alarm server

1. In the Explorer window, open the application My Network App and find the
device alarm server,for example, FTAE Server.

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Step 3: Check server status

1. In the Explorer window, right-click the alarm server FTAE Server. On the context
menu, click Server Status.
To test your redundant server configuration, trigger a manual switchover by clicking
the Switchover button. The Switchover button is enabled if the server is configured
for redundancy. The Switchover options selection is favor current (default), and
both the Primary and Secondary servers are currently available.

2. To close the Server Status dialog box without making any changes, click Cancel.

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Getting started with language switching

You can use language switching to display text strings that you define when you create
an application, in up to 40 different languages. At run time, a FactoryTalk View SE
Client can switch between any of the languages the application supports. In a network
distributed application or network station application, multiple clients can run in
different languages at the same time.
For information, see “Language identifiers for language switching” on page 231.
Time and date formats in FactoryTalk Alarms and Events objects do not switch.
These objects always display the date and time format of the operating system. The
rest of a FactoryTalk View application shows the format for the language
FactoryTalk View is displaying.
Dialog boxes that are part of the graphical user interface of FactoryTalk Alarms and
Events — for example, the Acknowledge with Comment dialog box — do not switch
languages. They are displayed in the language of the operating system.
Historical alarm and event messages do not switch languages. They are displayed in
the language in which they were logged.

For more detailed information, see the FactoryTalk View Site Edition Help in
FactoryTalk View Studio.

Before you begin

To implement language switching, the steps depend on whether you are using device-
based alarm monitoring or tag-based alarm monitoring. If you are not sure what type
of alarm monitoring you are using, see Chapter 2, “Plan your system”.
If you are using device-based alarm monitoring
 Review Chapter 3, “Define device-based alarms in Logix5000 controllers”.
 Verify that you have installed and activated the software listed under “What you
need”.
 Verify that the Logix5000 firmware has been updated to revision between 16.20
and 20.
If you are using tag-based alarm monitoring
 Review Chapter 6, “Add a tag-based alarm server for Logix5000, PLC-5, SLC
500, or third-party controllers”.
 Configure a data server, as discussed in Chapter 5, “Add an OPC Data Server for
third-party controllers”.

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What you need

If you are using device-based alarms
 RSLogix 5000 v. 16 or later  RSLinx Enterprise
 ControlFLASH  FactoryTalk View Studio
 RSLinx Classic  FactoryTalk View SE Client

If you are using tag-based alarms

 PLC-5, SLC 500, third-party, or Logix5000 controllers that have not been
programmed with alarm instructions included in RSLogix 5000 v. 16 or later
 RSLogix 5 or RSLogix 500 software
 RSLinx Enterprise, RSLinx Classic (for bridging from Ethernet to DH+ or DH-
485 networks), or a third-party OPC Data Server (for example, KEPWare server)
for communicating with third-party controllers
 FactoryTalk View Studio or FactoryTalk Administration Console
 Microsoft® Excel (for editing exported alarm messages in multiple languages)

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Follow these steps

Create device-based alarm messages

To create device-based alarm messages in multiple languages you can use the import
and export features in RSLogix 5000. At run time, alarm messages located in
Logix5000 controllers can be displayed in the language of the FactoryTalk View
application in which they are displayed.
When RSLinx Enterprise connects to the controller, all alarm messages and their
languages are uploaded from the controller. When a FactoryTalk View SE Client runs,
the FactoryTalk Alarms and Events objects (Alarm and Event Summary, for example)
connect to the FactoryTalk Alarms and Events system and request alarm messages in
the current language. When you switch languages on the client computer, the alarm
monitoring system and all of the client screens switch to the appropriate language on
that specific client.
Historical alarm messages are logged in the language currently associated with the
Alarm and Event Log. The Alarm and Event Log displays messages in the language in
which they were logged. For example, a message logged in English will be displayed
in English, even if the language is switched to Italian.

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Translate alarm messages using import and export

A system may have thousands of alarm messages that need to be translated. To
simplify this process, you can export alarm messages from RSLogix 5000 to a file,
add translated messages in multiple languages to the file, and then import the file back
into your project. Any of the languages you translate the strings into must be
supported by FactoryTalk View.
You can enter text strings in multiple languages in two ways.
1. In RSLogix 5000 v. 16 or earlier, create alarm messages in one language, and use
the RSLogix 5000 Export tool, to export the project’s tags, logic comments,
descriptions and alarm messages from RSLogix 5000 to a comma-separated value
(*.csv) file or a text (*.txt) file. The text strings can be translated into other
languages and added to the file. Then use the RSLogix 5000 Import tool, to
import the strings back into the project.
2. In RSLogix 5000 v. 17 or later, you select a language for the project and then in
the Project Documentation Language Configuration dialog box you export a
localization file that contains documentation from the project. The documentation
included in the text (*.txt) file includes user defined logic comments, component
names, and alarm messages. The text strings can be translated into other
languages and added to the file. Then use the Project Documentation Language
Configuration dialog box to import strings back into the project. See “Translating
alarm messages using RSLogix 5000 v. 17 or later” on page 159.

Translate alarm messages in RSLogix 5000 v.16 or earlier

To translate alarm messages using RSLogix 5000 v. 16, complete the following steps.
To translate alarm messages in RSLogix 5000 v. 17 or later, using the project
documentation language feature see, “Translating alarm messages using RSLogix
5000 v. 17 or later” on page 159.
Step 1: Export alarm messages from RSLogix 5000
1. Start RSLogix 5000 and open the West_Plant_Controller project you created in
Chapter 3, “Define device-based alarms in Logix5000 controllers”. If you haven’t
yet created the project, do so before continuing.
2. In the RSLogix 5000 window, on the Tools menu, click Export.

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3. In the Export dialog box, click Export.

If your RSLogix 5000 project includes a large number of programs, and you want
to translate alarm messages from only one of them, you can make selections in the
Export dialog box to limit the data that is exported. For details, click Help in the
dialog box.

When translating to or from Unicode character sets (for example, Asian languages),
you must export and then import the RSLogix 5000 tag database as a .txt file. The
.csv format does not support Unicode character sets. This limitation does not apply
to Tag Alarm and Event Servers.

Step 2: Translate the exported alarm messages

1. In Windows Explorer, locate the file you exported and then double-click it to open
it in Notepad. You can also edit the file using Microsoft Excel.

The last line of text in the file is the alarm definition. The first element from the
left is the instruction type (ALMMSG:) and the language string for the alarm
message (en-us for English in the United States).
The alarm message text appears as the fourth element from the left (“Tank
Temperature is High”).
2. Copy the ALMMSG line and paste it at the end of the file.
3. Change en-us to it-it (for Italian in Italy), and then change the alarm message text
to read, “La temperatura del serbatoio è alta”.
4. Paste another copy of the ALMMSG line at the end of the file.

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5. Change en-us to de-de (for German in Germany), and change the alarm message
text to read, “Hohe Tanktemperatur!”.

6. On the File menu, click Save to save the file.

When you import alarm messages, RSLogix 5000 v. 16 verifies the message length
and displays a warning if the alarm message exceeds the character limit.

Step 3: Import the translated alarm messages

1. In the RSLogix 5000 window, on the Tools menu, click Import.
2. In the Import window, select the file you modified and then click Import.

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The import process produces warnings because it overwrote existing tags.

Step 4: Download the project to the controller

To update the controller with additional alarm messages in the new languages,
download the project to the controller.
Next, either continue setting up tag-based alarm messages, or set up a graphic display
for language switching. See “Add buttons to a graphic display to switch languages
at run time” on page 168.

Translating alarm messages using RSLogix 5000 v. 17 or later

To translate alarm strings in RSLogix 5000 v. 17 and later, use the project
documentation import and export feature. Only the information that is necessary for
localization is included in the exported file.
Step 1: Export alarm messages from RSLogix 5000
1. Start RSLogix 5000 v. 17 and open the West_Plant_Controller project you created
in Chapter 3, “Define device-based alarms in Logix5000 controllers”. If you have
not created the project, do so before continuing.

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2. Open the Project Documentation Language dialog box, click the Documentation
Language Configuration icon or click Documentation Languages on the Tools
menu.

3. To associate the existing product documentation with a language, select a

language from the Select a language list or click Custom and then add a custom
language. For example, select English (United States) from the list and then click
OK.
4. After you select a language for the project, the Project Documentation
Language Configuration dialog box opens. To export a localization file, click
Export. If the dialog box does not open, click Documentation Languages on the
Tools menu.

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5. Select the languages to include in the localization file and then click Next. For
example, select German (Germany) and Italian (Italy) if the project
documentation will be translated into German and Italian.
6. To add the configuration information to the localization file, click Next.
7. Specify the name and location of the exported localization file and then click
Export.
8. Click OK.

Step 2: Translate the exported alarm messages

1. In Windows Explorer, locate the file you exported. Right-click the file, point to
Open With and then click Microsoft Excel.

The first column contains the instruction type ALMMSG. Column C is labeled
KEY:en-US [English (United States)] and the alarm message is displayed in
English.
Column D is labeled de-DE [Deutsch (Deutschland)], and Column E is labeled
it-IT [italiano (Italia)]. These are the languages you selected for the export.
2. Type, “Hohe Tanktemperatur!” in column D in the same row that displays “Tank
Temperature is High”.
3. Type “La temperatura del serbatoio è alta” in column E in the same row that
displays “Tank Temperature is High”.
4. To save the file, click Save on the File menu.

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Step 3: Import the translated alarm messages

1. In the RSLogix 5000 window, on the Tools menu, click Documentation
Languages.
2. In the Project Documentation Language Configuration dialog box, click
Import.
3. In the Select File dialog box, select the file you modified and then click Import.
4. Verify the languages you want to import in the Import Project Documentation
dialog box and then click Import.
5. Click OK.
When you import alarm messages, RSLogix 5000 v. 17 will verify the message length
and display a warning if the alarm message exceeds the 255 character limit.

Step 4: Download the project to the controller

To update the controller with additional alarm messages in the new languages,
download the project to the controller.
Next, either continue with setting up tag-based alarm messages, or set up a graphic
display for language switching. See “Add buttons to a graphic display to switch
languages at run time” on page 168.

Create tag-based alarm messages

The alarm messages in a tag-based alarm server also support language switching. As
with RSLogix 5000 alarms, in FactoryTalk View you can also enter text strings in
multiple languages in two ways.
1. The messages in the Alarm and Event Setup editor are saved in the language you
select when opening an application in FactoryTalk View.
2. After creating alarm messages in one language, you can export them from
FactoryTalk View to a Microsoft Excel (*.xls) or XML file (*.xml), add translated
versions of the strings to the exported file, and then import them into FactoryTalk
View again.
The maximum length for alarm messages is 255 characters. When you import
alarm messages, anything over 255 characters is truncated.

Entering text strings in FactoryTalk View Studio

Step 1: In FactoryTalk View Studio, choose a language in which to open an
application
1. To start FactoryTalk View Studio, click Start > All Programs > Rockwell
Software > FactoryTalk View > FactoryTalk View Studio.

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2. In the Application Type Selection window, select View Site Edition (Local
Station) and then click Continue.

3. In the New/Open Site Edition (Local Station) Application dialog box, click the
Existing tab, select the application you created in Chapter 4, “Add a device server
for Logix5000, PLC-5, or SLC 500 controllers” (we used My Local Site).

4. In the Language list, select the language in which you are creating your
application (in this example, English (United States), en-US), and then click
Open.

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Step 2: Create a digital alarm

This section uses the FactoryTalk Tag Alarm and Event Server you created in Chapter
6, “Add a tag-based alarm server for Logix5000, PLC-5, SLC 500, or third-party
controllers”. If you haven’t yet created the server, do so before continuing.
1. In the Explorer window, expand the new Tag Server, and then double-click
Alarm and Event Setup.

2. In the Alarm Setup dialog box, click the Digital tab.

3. On the toolbar, click the New button (shown at left).

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4. In the Digital Alarm Properties dialog box, in the Name box, type
TankTempThreshold.

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5. In the Input Tag field, type system\Second. This tag uses the second count from
the computer’s internal clock to trigger the alarm. You can also click the Browse
button beside the Input Tag field to select the system\Second tag and then click
OK.

6. In the Digital Alarm Properties dialog box, in the Condition list, select
Input = 0. This triggers the alarm every time the value of the system\Second tag is
0 — which happens every minute.
7. In the Message field, type Tank Temperature is High, and then click OK.

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8. Close the Alarm and Event Setup editor and save your changes.

Add languages to the application

1. In FactoryTalk View Studio, on the Tools menu, click Languages.
2. In the Language Configuration dialog box, select the Display undefined strings
using the default language check box, and then click Add.

When the Display undefined strings using the default language check box is
selected, any strings that are not defined in the current language are displayed in
the default language at run time.
When this check box is not selected, any strings that are not defined in the current
language are displayed as question marks (???) at run time.

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3. In the Add Language dialog box, click German (Germany) and then click OK.

4. In the Language Configuration dialog box, click Add to add the next language.
5. In the Add Language dialog box, click Italian (Italy) and then click OK.

6. In the Language Configuration dialog box, click OK.

Add buttons to a graphic display to switch languages

at run time
In this section, we’ll add a button to a graphic display, to switch among available
languages at run time.
Step 1: Create a new graphic display
1. In FactoryTalk View Studio, in the Explorer window, expand the Graphics folder.

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2. Right-click Displays, and then click New on the context menu.

Step 2: Add buttons to the graphic display

1. On the Objects menu, click Button and then click Push Button.
2. In the graphic display, hold down the left mouse button and then drag the mouse
to draw a box for the button.

3. On the Edit menu, click Copy.

4. On the keyboard, press Ctrl-V twice, to paste two more copies of the button in the
graphic display.
5. Drag the copies of the button apart on the display.
6. On the keyboard, press Ctrl-A to select all of the buttons.
7. On the Arrange menu, click Align Top to align the tops of the buttons.

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8. On the Arrange menu, click Space Horizontal to space the buttons equally apart.

Step 3: Add captions to the buttons

1. Double-click the first button to edit it.
2. In the Button Properties dialog box, click the Action tab.
3. Click the browse button to the right of the Release action field. The Command
Wizard opens.
4. In the Command Categories pane on the left, expand All Commands and
Macros.
5. In the list of commands on the right, click Language, and then click Next.
6. In the Language ID list, select the name of the language and then click Finish.

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In this example, we are using English (United States), en-US.

7. In the Button Properties dialog box, click the Up Appearance tab.

8. In the Caption field, type English and then click OK.

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9. Repeat the steps above to add captions to the other two buttons:
 For the second button, the press action is Language it-IT (Italian for Italy).
 For the second button, the caption is Italiano.
 For the third button, the press action is Language de-DE (German for
Germany).
 For the third button, the caption is Deutsch.

Step 4: Add an Alarm and Event Summary to the graphic display

1. On the Objects menu, point to Alarm and Event, and then click Summary (or
on the toolbar, click the Summary button, as shown at left).
2. In the graphic display, hold the left mouse button down and drag the mouse to
create a box for the Alarm and Event Summary object.
3. When you have the object the required size, release the left mouse button. The
Alarm and Event Summary object is drawn on the display.

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Step 5: Save and then close the graphic display

1. On the File menu, click Save.
2. In the Save dialog box, type a name for the graphic display and then click OK.
In this example, we used Alarm Summary Multilingual.

3. On the File menu, click Close to close the graphic display.

Enter alarm messages in other languages

In this section, we’ll edit our application twice. The first time, we’ll open the
application in Italian, and then we’ll enter the Italian alarm message in the Alarm
Properties dialog box.
Next, we’ll export the alarms and events to an Excel spreadsheet, enter the German
text in Excel, and then import the alarm messages again into our application.
When you enter alarm messages in multiple languages in Excel, you can add the text
strings for all languages to one Excel file, and then import the translated text for all
languages into the application in one operation.
When you import alarm messages, the maximum length that is allowed is 255
characters. Alarm messages longer than 255 characters are truncated.
Step 1: Open the application in a new language
1. On the File menu, click Close Application.
2. In the New/Open Site Edition (Local Station) Application dialog box, click the
Existing tab.
3. In the list of applications, click the name of your application (in this example, My
Local Site).

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4. In the Language list, select Italian (Italy), it-IT and then click Open.

Step 2: Enter the alarm message for the digital alarm

1. In the Explorer window, expand the Tag Server, and then double-click Alarm
and Event Setup.

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2. In the Alarm and Event Setup editor, click the Digital tab and then double-click
the TankTempThreshold alarm to edit it.

3. In the Digital Alarm Properties dialog box, in the Message field, type La
temperatura del serbatoio è alta and then click OK.

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Step 3: Export alarm messages to an Excel spreadsheet

1. Right-click the Tag Alarm and Event Server where the alarms are defined, and
then click Import and Export on the context menu.
In this example, right-click the Tag Alarm and Event Server called Tag Server.

2. In the Alarm Import Export Wizard, in the Operation Type window, leave
Export alarm configuration to Excel file selected and then click Next.

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3. In the Alarms to Export window, leave the TankTempThreshold alarm in the list
of alarms to export and then click Next.

If you have many alarms and you want to export only some of them, you can filter
the list of alarms to find the ones you want, and then you can include only those
alarms you need in the exported file. For details, click Help.
4. In the Messages to Export window, leave Export messages for all alarms
selected, leave all of the languages selected, and then click Next.

In this window you can choose whether to export all alarm messages, the
messages for only the alarms you selected in the previous step, or no alarm
messages, which then exports only the alarm data. If you are exporting alarm
messages, you can also select which languages you want to export.

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5. In the Specify Output File window, leave the file name as it is. You can specify a
location where you want the file to be save or use the default location that is
displayed, and then click Finish.
To browse for a location, click the Browse button (shown at left).

6. After the export is complete, click OK.

Step 4: Enter alarm messages in Excel

1. Locate the exported alarm file and then double-click it to open it in Microsoft
Excel. The default location is in your My Documents folder. In this example, the
file is called My Local Site_Tag Server_AlarmExport.xls.

Each alarm is located in a new row in the spreadsheet. The column names
correspond to the settings for each alarm. At the bottom of the Excel window
there are tabs that organize the alarms by type (Digital, Level, Deviation).

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Two additional tabs contain the alarm messages and the tag update rates. These
items are located on their own tabs because they can apply to multiple alarms.
For example, if you had 50 alarms, you could use the same alarm message for 10
of them, but have different messages for the rest. Instead of editing the same alarm
message 10 times, you only need to edit it once. Each alarm message has its own
numeric identifier (in the Message column located in column H in our example),
which links a message to each alarm (level alarms can have a different message
for each level).
The maximum length for an alarm message is 255 characters. Messages that are
longer than 255 characters are truncated when they are imported.
2. At the bottom of the Excel window, click the Messages tab.

3. To add a new language for messages, add a new column and then type the
associated language identifier as the column heading. For example, click cell D1
and then type de-DE. This is the language identifier for German.
For example, the column heading, en-US is the language identifier for English
(United States). For more information, see “Language identifiers for language
switching” on page 231.

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4. To add messages, type the new message in a row under the column specified for
that language. For example, click cell D2 and then type Hohe Tanktemperatur!

5. At the bottom of the Excel window, click the Tag Update Rates tab. The columns
are labeled with the update rates. For example cell A-1, is labeled 0.10 Seconds
and cell E-1 is labeled 2 Seconds.
6. To update an input tag every 2 seconds, enter the name of the input tag in the
column labeled 2 Seconds.
7. To save your changes, click Save on the File menu.
8. Close Microsoft Excel.

Step 5: Import the alarm messages

1. In FactoryTalk View Studio, right-click the Tag Alarm and Event Server where
the alarms are defined, and then click Import and Export on the context menu.
In this example, right-click the Tag Alarm and Event Server called Tag Server.

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2. In the Alarm Import Export Wizard, in the Operation Type window, select
Import alarm configuration from Excel file and then click Next.

3. In the File to Import window, select the Excel spreadsheet to which you added
the German alarm message and then click Next.
To browse for the file, click the Browse button (shown at left).

4. In the Alarms to Import window, select Import only alarm messages, and then
click Next.

In this window you can choose to overwrite any existing alarms, add only the new
alarms, leaving all existing alarms unchanged, or delete all existing alarms and
then import only those that are in the import file.

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5. In the Messages to Import window, select Update existing messages and create
new messages from the import file, and then click Finish.

Do not select either of the other two options in this window. In our Excel
spreadsheet, we added a language to an existing alarm message; we did not create
a new alarm message. If you do not choose to update existing messages, the
translated text will not appear in your alarm messages.
6. After the import is complete, click OK.

Create a Display Client configuration file to test alarm

messages
Because the Language command is ignored when you test-run an application, you’ll
need to run the application from the FactoryTalk View Site Edition Client.
Step 1: Run FactoryTalk View Site Edition Client
1. On the Windows Start menu, click Start, point to All Programs > Rockwell
Software > FactoryTalk View and then click FactoryTalk View Site Edition
Client. The FactoryTalk View SE Client Wizard opens.

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Step 2: Create a FactoryTalk View Site Edition Client configuration file

1. In the FactoryTalk View Client Wizard, click New.
2. In the FactoryTalk View SE Client Configuration Name window, type a name for
the configuration file. In this example, we used Multilingual Alarms. Keep the
default path for the configuration file and then click Next.

For details about using the FactoryTalk View Site Edition Client Wizard, click
Help in the wizard.
3. In the FactoryTalk View SE Client Application Type window, click Local Station
and then click Next.

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4. In the FactoryTalk View SE Client Application Name window, select the name of
the application you want to connect to, and then click Next.
In this example, we used the My Local Site application that we created in Chapter
7, “Set up graphic displays”.

5. In the FactoryTalk View SE Client Components window, select the FactoryTalk

View components that run when the FactoryTalk View Site Edition Client starts.
In the Initial display list, click Alarm Summary Multilingual, and then click
Next.

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6. In the FactoryTalk View SE Client Window Properties window, you configure

how the FactoryTalk View SE Client window will look at run time. In this
example, we entered Show Me Alarms in the Title bar text field. At run time, this
text is displayed at the top of the Client window, and does not switch languages.
Don’t change any of the other settings in this window. Click Next.

7. In the FactoryTalk View SE Client Auto Logout window, you can configure the
Client to log out automatically after a period of inactivity. In this example, we
accepted the default setting. Click Next.

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8. In the FactoryTalk View SE Client Completion Options window, click Save

configuration and open FactoryTalk View SE Client now, and then click
Finish.

Test alarm messages at run time

For details about triggering an alarm in RSLogix 5000, see “Test the alarm instruction
by switching to run mode and triggering the alarm” on page 33.
In a Tag Alarm and Event Server, the TankTempThreshold alarm we created triggers
automatically once every minute.
When an alarm conditions occurs, the alarm appears in the Alarm and Event Summary
in the default run-time language (in this case, English for the United States).

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When you click the Italiano button, the alarm message appears in Italian. Notice that
the other parts of the Alarm and Event Summary (for example, the Details pane)
currently appear in the language version of the FactoryTalk View software you have
installed on your computer. However, you can make these items switch languages by
editing the properties of the Alarm and Event Summary to modify the column heading
text. You can also export the graphic display’s language strings in FactoryTalk View,
and then translate them before importing them again.

The behavior of the display is the same when you click the Deutsch button to display
the alarm message in German.

The labels on the buttons do not change when we switch languages. This is
intentional — because we did not provide translated strings for the buttons, and
because we selected the Display undefined strings using the default language

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check box. If you do not select this check box, undefined strings are displayed as
question marks (?) at run time.

Summary and tips for setting up language switching

To set up language switching for an application:
1. Develop the application in a base language.
2. Export the application’s user-defined text strings.
When translating to or from Unicode character sets (for example, Asian
languages), you must export and then import the RSLogix 5000 tag database as a
.txt file. The .csv format does not support Unicode character sets. This limitation
does not apply to FactoryTalk Tag Alarm and Event Servers.
3. Translate the strings. You can use Notepad or Microsoft Excel. Excel is useful for
large numbers of strings.
4. Import the translated strings back into the application.
For more detailed information about setting up language switching, see the
FactoryTalk View Site Edition Help in FactoryTalk View Studio, and see the
FactoryTalk View User’s Guide — in FactoryTalk View, click Help > Online Books.

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Text that supports language switching

In general, the user-defined strings that support language switching are those that an
operator sees in an application at run time. Specifically, these are:
 text you specify for graphic objects and global objects including captions, tool tip
text, time and date embedded variables, and numeric embedded variables.
 graphic and global object display titles specified in the Display Settings dialog
box.
 text objects created in graphic displays and global object displays.

Text that does not support language switching

Among the text strings that do not support language switching are:
 text that is part of the language version of the FactoryTalk View Studio Site
Edition or Client software, such as information from system tags, which is
displayed in the same language as the operating system. These are translated when
FactoryTalk View is localized.
 text that can be displayed at run time but is used to operate the application, such as
the names of graphic displays, and command strings.
 tag descriptions and string constants in expressions.
 text in the title bar of the FactoryTalk View Site Edition Client window, which is
part of the setup of the client, not part of the application.

Alarm and Event Summary and Alarm and Event Banner

If the Alarm and Event Summary or the Alarm and Event Banner is notified of a
language switch, the contents are reloaded in the new language.
Any Alarm Fault List messages that you created in RSLogix 5000 (in the Alarm
Properties dialog box) do not currently switch languages.
You can use the Alarm and Event Banner Properties dialog box to configure
tooltips and panel captions in multiple languages. Define strings in one language at a
time. FactoryTalk View controls which language is displayed. You cannot switch the
text labels for the alarm states and priorities.
When configuring language switching for the Alarm and Event Banner, see the
FactoryTalk View Site Edition Help in FactoryTalk View Studio.

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Alarm and Event Log Viewer

You can use the Alarm and Event Log Viewer to configure column headings, button
captions, and button tooltips in multiple languages. Define strings in one language at a
time. FactoryTalk View controls which language is displayed.
When the Alarm and Event Log Viewer is notified of a language switch, the contents
of the viewer, which consists of report data, are not translated. This data continue to be
displayed in the language that was used when the alarm or event was logged.
If text for a language is not available, the text for the default language is used.
When configuring language switching for the Alarm and Event Log Viewer, see the
FactoryTalk View Site Edition Help in FactoryTalk View Studio.

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 Appendix B

System performance and limits

FactoryTalk Alarms and Events has been tested to conform to the following
performance limits.
All testing was performed with the recommended hardware. For details, see the
FactoryTalk View Site Edition Installation Guide.

Controller specifications
This release of FactoryTalk Alarms and Events does not support device based alarm
subscription to controllers with firmware revisions 21 or later.

Controllers with revision 20 or earlier

Specification Value
Number of subscribers (RSLinx 16
Enterprise servers) per controller
Controller memory used for buffering by 100KB
each subscriber (RSLinx Enterprise)
Typical number of alarm state transitions 1000
per subscriber
Recommended maximum number of 2000
alarms per controller
Approximate controller memory used for Digital 1 KB;
each alarm Analog 2.2 KB;
Using associated tags, string tags
consume 750-1600 bytes per string tag
depending on the alarm type.
Supported languages for alarm messages All languages supported by FactoryTalk
View.

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Execution times for alarms

Rung State Execution times

ALMD instruction ALMA instruction

False with no alarm state 8 μs 17 µs

change
False with alarm state change 35 µs 17 µs
True with no alarm state 8 µs 65 µs
change
True with alarm state change 35 µs 126 µs

Scan times increase more during a scan when many alarms change state at the same
time.
An alarm state change is any event that changes the condition of the alarm. To
minimize the potential for large alarm bursts, create dependencies on related
alarms. Large alarm bursts can have a significant impact on the scan time of
application code.

Tested system limits

In this topology, FactoryTalk Alarms and Events has been tested with the following
tested system limits:
Value in this Value in earlier
Tested limit release releases
Number of Rockwell Automation Device 10 pairs 2
Servers per application
Number of alarms per Rockwell Automation 5000 5000
Device Server (RSLinx Enterprise)
Number of Tag Alarm and Event Servers per 10 pairs 2
application
Number of alarms per Tag Alarm and Event 5000 5000
Server
Number of alarms per FactoryTalk 100,000 20,000
application
Number of alarms the alarm summary can 2000 2000
display at once
Number of clients simultaneously connected 50 20
to the application

For historical alarm logging, you must be able to log on to a Microsoft SQL Server
database.

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When a controller has been disconnected and then reconnected to alarm servers on the
network, alarms will start appearing in clients within 30 seconds. It may take up to 2
minutes to fully recover, depending on the computer hardware and the number of
controllers and alarms in the system. In a redundant application, the active server
failover and manual switchover recovery time is the same as the controller reconnect
time.

Tested topology: redundant

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 Appendix C

Install FactoryTalk Alarms and Events manually

FactoryTalk Alarms and Events software is installed when you install FactoryTalk
View Site Edition and RSLinx Enterprise software; it is not installed as part of the
FactoryTalk Services Platform. If you installed the platform on a computer where
FactoryTalk View Site Edition and RSLinx Enterprise are not installed, you will not
have the FactoryTalk Alarms and Events software and must install it manually.
The following illustration shows a sample FactoryTalk system with Alarms and
Events installed on various computers.

Summary of steps
 Step 1: Confirm that FactoryTalk Services Platform is installed on the computer
where you are going to install FactoryTalk Alarms and Events.
 Step 2: Install FactoryTalk Alarms and Events.

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Step 1: Confirm that FactoryTalk Services Platform is installed

FactoryTalk Services Platform must be installed before installing FactoryTalk Alarms
and Events.
To check if you have FactoryTalk Services Platform:
1. On the Start menu, click Control Panel and then double-click Add or Remove
Programs.
2. In the list, look for FactoryTalk Services Platform 2.10 (CPR 9) or later. If it is not
in the list, install it.
For detailed instructions, see the FactoryTalk View Site Edition or RSLinx Enterprise
installation instructions.

Step 2: Install FactoryTalk Alarms and Events

Log in as a user with administrative rights before you begin the installation. As part of
the installation process, FactoryTalk Alarms and Events creates program folders and
modifies registry entries. To make these modifications, the user that is currently
logged in must have administrative rights on the computer on which FactoryTalk
Alarms and Events is installed.
1. Close any programs that are open.
2. At the root of the FactoryTalk View SE or RSLinx Enterprise CD, open FTAE
folder and then double-click Setup.exe.
3. If .Net 3.5 Framework (SP1) is not already installed on your computer, it is
installed automatically. Follow the instructions on the screen.
4. In the Welcome dialog box, click Next.
5. Click the option to accept the End User License Agreement and then click Next.
6. Select the Complete Installation option and then click Next.
7. Click Install to begin the installation.
8. When the installation is finished, click Finish to close the window.

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 Appendix D

Install Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 SP2 Express

FactoryTalk Alarms and Events uses Microsoft SQL Server as the database engine for
logging alarm and event information. You can connect to an existing SQL Server
database. You can also install Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 SP2 Express, which is
included in the FTView\Redist\SQLServerEXPR_2008R2SP2 folder on the
FactoryTalk View installation DVD.
If you do not have an existing Microsoft SQL Server database, or do not plan to use it,
follow the instructions outlined in this chapter to make sure that Microsoft SQL
Server 2008 R2 SP2 Express is installed with the correct features enabled. See
“Summary of steps” for more information.
You can install the database on the same computer used to host other FactoryTalk
servers, or on a separate computer. Depending on the size of your system, you might
choose to use a separate computer as a dedicated logging computer to balance
processing power.
For more information on using an existing Microsoft SQL Server database, see
Appendix E, “Use an existing Microsoft SQL Server database”.

Operating systems
Microsoft SQL Server works with the following operating systems:
 Windows 7
 Windows Server 2008
 Windows Server 2008 R2
 Windows XP, Service Pack 2 or later
 Windows Server 2003, Service Pack 2 or later
For more information about operating system requirements, see the Microsoft web
site.

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Summary of steps
The following is a summary of the steps required to install Microsoft SQL Server
2008 R2 SP2 Express. Each step is described in more detail on the following pages.
 Step 1: Open the FTView folder, which is at the root of the FactoryTalk View
installation DVD. The subfolders Redist and System contain the software for
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 SP2 Express and its prerequisite software.
 Step 2: Install the .NET Framework and other prerequisite software. The SQL
Server 2008 R2 SP2 Express installation fails without these components.
 Step 3: Run the SQL Server Install batch file to install and configure SQL Server
2008 R2 SP2 Express.
 Step 4: Configure the Windows firewall if you want to allow for remote
connections.

Step 1: Open the FTView folder

The FTView folder is located at the root of the FactoryTalk View installation DVD and
contains the following folders:
Folder Description

Redist\DotNet35SP1* Installation for Microsoft .NET Framework version 3.5

(SP1). You might already have the .NET Framework
software on your computer, but verify the correct version
is installed or the SQL Server install will fail.
Redist\MSXML6* Installation for Microsoft Core XML Services (MSXML)
version 6.0.
Redist\WindowsPowerShell1 Installation for Windows PowerShell 1.0.
0*
Redist\SQLServerEXPR_200 Installation for SQL Server 2008 R2 SP2 Express
8R2SP2
System\WindowsInstaller45* Installation for the Microsoft Windows Installer version
4.5.

* These software components are prerequisites that must be installed before

you install Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 SP2 Express. There are other
prerequisites but these are the ones most commonly needed so they are
included for your convenience. If the installation program identifies other
missing components, download them from the Microsoft website.

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Step 2: Install the .NET Framework and other prerequisite

software
Install the software components described in the following sections.

.NET Framework
Microsoft .NET Framework version 3.5 (SP1) is a prerequisite for SQL Server 2008
R2 SP2 Express.You will need to manually install it if it is not installed.
If you have .NET Framework 1.2 or any version before 2.0.50727, you must uninstall
it (versions 1.0 and 1.1 do not have to be uninstalled) before installing the correct
version.

To determine which .NET Framework versions are on your computer, see Microsoft
Knowledge Base article 318785 at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/
kbarticle.aspx?id=318785.
To install .NET Framework 3.5 (SP1):
1. At the root of the FactoryTalk View installation DVD, open the
FTView\Redist\DotNet35SP1 folder and then double-click dotnetfx35.exe.
2. Follow the on-screen instructions.

MSXML6
To check if you have MSXML6:
1. From the Start menu, select Control Panel and then double-click Add or
Remove Programs.
2. Check to see if MSXML6 is included in the list. If not, install.
To install MSXML6:
1. At the root of the FactoryTalk View installation DVD, open the
FTView\Redist\MSXML6 folder and then double-click msxml6.msi.
2. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Windows Installer 4.5

To check if you have Windows Installer 4.5:
1. From the Start menu, select Control Panel, and then double-click Add or
Remove Programs.
2. Check to see if Windows Installer 4.5 is included in the list. If not, install.

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To install Windows Installer 4.5:

1. At the root of the FactoryTalk View installation DVD, open the
FTView\System\WindowsInstaller45 folder and then double-click the Windows
installer for your operating system.
2. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Windows Powershell 1.0

If your operating system is Windows 7, you can skip this step.
To check if you have Powershell 1.0:
1. From the Start menu, select Control Panel and then double-click Add or
Remove Programs.
2. Select the Show updates option at the top of the screen.
3. Look for Windows Powershell 1.0 or Windows Management Core (contains
Windows Powershell 2.0).
4. If Windows Powershell 1.0 or Windows Management Core is not listed, install
Windows Powershell 1.0.
To install Powershell 1.0:
1. At the root of the FactoryTalk View installation DVD, open the
FTView\Redist\WindowsPowerShell10 folder and then double-click the Windows
Powershell for your operating system.
2. Follow the on-screen instructions.

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Step 3: Run the SQL Server Install batch file (not the .exe)
The batch file installs Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 SP2 Express on your computer
with the correct settings for logging alarms and events. The batch file will configure
the following settings for SQL Server:
 allow remote connections to the database using the TCP/IP protocol
 enable SQL Server Browser
To install Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 SP2 Express:
1. Close any open programs.
2. At the root of the FactoryTalk View installation DVD, open the
FTView\Redist\SQLServerEXPR_2008R2SP2 folder and then double-click SQL
Server Install.bat.
3. In the Setup Support Rules window, click OK.
4. In the Product Key window, click Next (SQL Server 2008 R2 SP2 Express does
not need a product key).
5. Review the End User License Agreement, select the check box to accept it, and
then click Next.
6. In the Setup Support Files window, click Install.

If the system configuration check identifies any missing software components,

installation fails, and the missing components show in the System Configuration
window. For your convenience, the installation packages for Windows Installer
4.5 and MSXML 6.0 are included in the FTView\Redist folder at the root of the
FactoryTalk View installation DVD. If other missing components are listed,
download them from the Microsoft web site
7. In the Setup Support Rules window, click Next.
8. In the Feature Selection window, click Next.
9. In the Instance Configuration window, click Next.
10. In the Disk Space Requirements window, click Next.
11. In the Server Configuration window, specify a service account for the SQL
Server Database Engine. Click Next.
12. In the Database Engine Configuration window, specify Mixed mode and then
enter a password for the built-in SQL Server system administrator account. If
there is no user listed in the Specify SQL Server administrators edit box, you must
add a user. Click Next.
13. In the Error and Usage Report window, leave the check boxes unselected, and
then click Next.
14. In the Installation Rules window, click Next.

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15. In the Ready to Install window, click Install.

16. Wait several minutes for the components to finish installing, and then click Next.
17. In the Complete window, click Close.

Step 4: Configure the Windows firewall

If you want to allow remote connections to the SQL Server database, the database
engine service and the SQL Server Browser service must be added to the Windows
Firewall Exception List. Set this up if you:
 have remote clients (for example, a log viewer) that needs access to the database
 want to configure the database remotely
To configure the Windows firewall:
1. Click Start, click Control Panel and then double-click Windows Firewall.
2. On the Exceptions tab, SQL Server (sqlservr.exe) might be listed in the Programs
and Services box, but not selected as an exception. If you select the check box,
Windows will open port 1433 to allow TCP requests. Alternatively, if you do not
see SQL Server listed:
 Click the Add Program button.
 Click the Browse button.
 Open the folder at drive:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL
Server\MSSQL10.SQLEXPRESS\MSSQL\Binn.
 Select sqlservr.exe and then click Open.
 In the Add Program dialog box, click OK.
Sqlservr.exe is displayed in the list with a check mark beside it.

3. To add the SQL Server Browser service to the exception list:

 Click the Add Program button.
 Click the Browse button.
 Open the folder at drive:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Shared.
 Select sqlbrowser.exe, and then click Open.
 In the Add Program dialog box, click OK.
Sqlbrowser.exe is displayed in the list with a check mark beside it.

4. To accept the changes and close the Windows Firewall dialog box, click OK.

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 Appendix E

Use an existing Microsoft SQL Server database

FactoryTalk Alarms and Events uses Microsoft SQL Server as the database engine for
logging alarm and event information. You can connect to an existing SQL Server
database, or you can install Microsoft SQL Server from the FTView\Redist folder on
the FactoryTalk View or RSLinx Enterprise installation DVD.
For more information, see Appendix D, “Install Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 SP2
Express”.
You must set up the correct settings for logging alarm and event data if you are using
an existing Microsoft SQL Server database. For more information on the settings, see
“Summary of steps”.

Supported SQL Server databases

FactoryTalk Alarms and Events can use any of the following SQL Server databases:
 Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Standard (32-bit or 64-bit)
 Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Standard SP1 (32-bit or 64-bit)
 Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Enterprise SP2 (32-bit or 64-bit)
 Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Standard SP3 (32-bit)
 Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Standard SP1 (32-bit or 64-bit)
 Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Standard (32-bit or 64-bit)
 Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Enterprise SP2 (64-bit)
 Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Standard SP2 (32-bit)
 Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Standard SP4
 Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Standard SP3
 Microsoft SQL Server 2005 SP2
 Microsoft SQL Server 2005 SP1
 Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express
 Microsoft SQL Server 2000 SP4

Remote connections to the SQL Server database

To allow remote connections to the database you must configure the TCP/IP protocol,
the SQL Server Browser, and the Windows Firewall. Set this up if you:

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 have remote clients (for example, a log viewer) that needs access to the database
 want to configure the database remotely

Summary of steps
 Step 1: Install Microsoft SQL Server Management Tools
 Step 2: Specify Mixed Mode authentication for the SQL Server database
 Step 3: Configure TCP/IP protocol for the database
 Step 4: Enable the SQL Server Browser service
 Step 5: Configure the Windows Firewall

Step 1: Install Microsoft SQL Server Management Tools

To add the SQL Server Management Tools to an existing instance of SQL Server 2005
Express or SQL Server 2008 R2 SP2 Express, follow these steps:
1. Close any open programs.
2. In Control Panel, open Add or Remove Programs.
3. Under Currently installed programs, select your SQL Server version and then
click Change or Change/Remove.
4. If you are using SQL Server 2005 Express:
a. On the Component Selection page, click To install a new component, click
here.
b. Enter the location of the Setup.exe file on the SQL Server 2005 installation
media, and then click OK to open the Microsoft SQL Server Installation
Wizard.
c. Follow the instructions in the wizard untill you get to the Components to
Install page.
d. In the Components to Install page, select the Workstation components,
Books Online and development tools check box.
 To install all the Client Component features, click Next.
 To select specific features (Management Tools are required), click
Advanced, and then click Next.
If you are using SQL Server 2008 R2 SP2 Express:
a. On the SQL Server 2008 R2 SP2 page, click Add.
b. Enter the location of the Setup.exe file on the SQL Server installation media,
and then click OK to open the Microsoft SQL Server Installation Wizard.
c. Follow the instructions in the wizard until you get to the Feature Selection
page.

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d. In the Feature Selection page, select the Management Tools - Basic check
box. If you do not want to install the complete management tools, clear the
Management Tools - Complete check box. Click Next.
5. Follow the instructions in the wizard to complete the installation. If you are
prompted to restart you computer, click Yes.

Step 2: Specify Mixed Mode authentication for the SQL Server database
To change the authentication mode and configure the “sa” login, perform the
following steps:
1. Click Start > All Programs > Microsoft SQL Server 2005 (or Microsoft SQL
Server 2008) > SQL Server Management Studio.
2. In Object Explorer, right-click the server node, and then click Properties.
3. On the Security page, under Server authentication, select SQL Server and
Windows Authentication mode, and then click OK.
4. To acknowledge the need to restart SQL Server, click OK in the SQL Server
Management Studio dialog box.
5. In Object Explorer, expand Security, expand Logins, right-click sa, and then click
Properties.
6. On the General page, you may have to create and confirm a password for the “sa”
login.
7. On the Status page, under Login, click Enabled, and then click OK.
8. Restart the server if you changed the authentication mode. In Object Explorer,
right-click the server node, and then click Restart.

Step 3: Configure TCP/IP protocol for the database

To configure TCP/IP protocol, complete the following steps:
1. Click Start > All Programs > Microsoft SQL Server 2005 (or Microsoft SQL
Server 2008) > Configuration Tools > SQL Server Surface Area
Configuration.
2. On the SQL Server Surface Area Configuration page, click Surface Area
Configuration for Services and Connections.
3. On the Surface Area Configuration for Services and Connections page, expand
Database Engine, click Remote Connections, click Local and remote
connections, click Using TCP/IP protocol only, and then click Apply.
4. To close the message regarding restarting the database engine, click OK.
5. To restart the database engine, click Service, and then click Stop. Wait until the
service stops, and then click Start.

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Step 4: Enable the SQL Server Browser service

To enable the SQL Server Browser, service complete the following steps:
1. Click Start > All Programs > Microsoft SQL Server 2005 (or Microsoft SQL
Server 2008) > Configuration Tools > SQL Server Surface Area
Configuration.
2. Click Surface Area Configuration for Services and Connections.
3. Click SQL Server Browser, click Automatic for Startup type, and then click
Apply.
4. Click Start, and then click OK.

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Step 5: Configure the Windows Firewall

To configure the Windows Firewall, perform the following steps:
1. Click Start, point to Control Panel, and then double-click Windows Firewall.
2. On the Exceptions tab, SQL Server (sqlservr.exe) might be listed in the Programs
and Services box, but not selected as an exception. If you select the check box,
Windows will open port 1433 to allow TCP requests. Alternatively, if you do not
see SQL Server listed:
 Click the Add Program button.
 Click the Browse button.
 Open the folder at drive:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL
Server\MSSQL10.SQLEXPRESS\MSSQL\BINN.
 Select sqlservr.exe, and then click Open.
 In the Add Program dialog box, click OK.
Sqlservr.exe is displayed in the list with a check mark beside it.

3. To add the SQL Server Browser service to the exception list:

 Click the Add Program button.
 Click the Browse button.
 Open the folder at drive:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Shared.
 Select sqlbrowser.exe, and then click Open.
 In the Add Program dialog box, click OK.
Sqlbrowser.exe is displayed in the list with a check mark beside it.

4. To accept the changes and close the Windows Firewall dialog box, click OK.

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 Appendix F

Alarm time stamping

FactoryTalk Alarms and Events provides significantly improved time-stamp accuracy
over traditional alarm monitoring systems, you can obtain better time-stamp
resolution in some cases by using time stamps directly retrieved from peripheral
devices like I/O cards or other time-stamping hardware.
When an analog (ALMA) or digital (ALMD) alarm instruction executes when an
alarm event occurs, the current Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) value of the
controller’s wall clock is captured and delivered to the FactoryTalk Alarms and Events
system with the alarm.
This appendix shows how to replace the controller’s wall clock time in an alarm event
with a time stamp from an external source.
You can take events from an I/O card like a 1756-IB16ISOE and use the
50 microsecond accuracy from the card’s time stamp when delivering an alarm to the
rest of the alarm monitoring system.
Some of the things you must resolve when you replace the normal time stamp
provided with the alarm instructions are:
 Alarm time stamps must be in UTC with no time zone or daylight savings time
offset included (these offsets are automatically added to the time stamp when it is
displayed).
 The alarm time stamp is usually represented as a long integer (LINT) data type,
occupying one 64-bit word. Most I/O cards stamp time using two double integers
(DINT), occupying two 32-bit words.

Overview of Logix clocks

In the Logix environment, time is represented in three different ways — Local Time,
Coordinated System Time, and Universal Coordinated Time.

Coordinated System Time (CST)

Coordinated System Time is provided by a free-running backplane clock that starts
counting the first time the system is powered up. CST is used for time stamping,
event tracking between processors and I/O cards, as well as for motion planning
among multiple motion modules. CST has no relevance to real-world time, but can be
converted to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) using an offset. CST time stamps
must be converted to UTC before passing them to the alarm monitoring system.

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Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)

Coordinated Universal Time is a real-world time relative to a time constant, but with
no time zone information and no daylight savings time offsets. It is the raw value used
to represent time and also the value required for time stamps in the FactoryTalk
Alarms and Events system. UTC is equivalent to Greenwich Mean Time, with no
daylight savings time offsets.
Advantage of using UTC for time stamps is that distributed events can be compared,
regardless of their geographical location or where they are, relative to Daylight
Savings Time (DST). The software reading the time stamp can then convert UTC time
stamps to local time. Logix 5000 and FactoryTalk Alarms and Events graphic objects
convert UTC time stamps to the local time of the workstation running the software
application.
Time stamps from different sources may or may not be returned in UTC format,
depending on the device generating the time stamp and how it is configured. For
example, a 1756-IB16ISOE module can return time in UTC if configured to do so.
In the Logix system, time is often returned as two 32-bit DINT data types instead of
one 64-bit LINT data type. The FactoryTalk Alarms and Events system requires the
time stamps to use the LINT data type. If a module (for example, the 1756-IB16ISOE
module) returns the time stamp in two DINTs instead of a LINT, you will have to
convert the time format into a LINT. To perform this conversion, an Add-On
Instruction is available for download from the Logix sample code website in the
Rockwell Automation Sample Code Library at http://
samplecode.rockwellautomation.com/. On the search page, in the Family list, select
Programmable Controllers, and then in the Technologies & Functionalities list,
select Add On Instruction. Download the item called Math and Compare
operations with 64-bit Long Integer Tags LINT Data Type in RSLogix5000 ver
16.

Local Time (Wall Clock Time)

Local time (often referred to as Wall Clock Time) is the time in the real world where
the controller is located. This means that Wall Clock time is UTC, but with time zone
and Daylight Savings Time (DST) offsets added.
Local Time is typically used to trigger local events (like turning on a pump at 1:00AM
during shift change). Local time values must be converted to UTC before passing
them to an alarm monitoring system.

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You can see the calculated result in RSLogix 5000, in the Controller Properties
dialog box, on the Date/Time tab, as shown in the following illustration.

We recommend using local time only to drive events from the controller, and not to
time-stamp alarms.

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FactoryTalk Alarms and Events: features for alarm monitoring

ALMD and ALMA alarm blocks
When the controller detects a condition that causes an In Alarm event, the controller
stores the current UTC value in the backing tag for the alarm.
1. The alarm is provided by ladder logic that includes the ALMD or ALMA
instructions:

If you are using RSLogix 5000 version 20 or earlier, the instruction block is like
this:

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2. When you click the Browse button to edit the alarm instruction, on the
Configuration tab, you can specify the alarm message.

3. On the Status tab, time stamps appear when the alarm is triggered,
acknowledged, returns to normal, or when the alarm count is reset.

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4. On the Parameters tab, these UTC time stamps are automatically transferred to
tags that you can then use in logic of your own.

For details about adding an Alarm and Event Summary object to a graphic display in
FactoryTalk View, see Chapter 7, “Set up graphic displays” or see the FactoryTalk
View Site Edition Help.

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Inserting time stamps manually

To insert a time stamp manually, you must enter the new time under the .ProgTime
element and set the boolean .UseProgTime in the backing tag for the alarm before the
actual alarm instruction is triggered.

Example

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216
 Appendix G

Time synchronization
FactoryTalk Alarms and Events provides excellent resolution and accuracy for alarms
and events time stamps. You can build a very accurate time sequence for events that
led to a failure, or simply to diagnose the exact order of their occurrence. Because the
alarms are generated by the controller, the time-stamp accuracy is a function of the
rate of the controller’s ability to scan the alarm instruction, plus the accuracy of the
controller’s wall clock.
When an alarm instruction is evaluated in code and an alarm transition event occurs
(goes into alarm, or is acknowledged, suppressed, and so on), the instruction
immediately records the current value of the controller’s wall clock. This 64-bit,
microsecond-resolution number reflects the time of the event relative to the
controller’s wall clock in UTC time (no time zone or daylight savings information is
included). When you view this time stamp, either in RSLogix 5000 or in FactoryTalk
View Site Edition, the time zone of the computer running the software is used to
visualize the time value. You can use a distributed system that covers multiple time
zones to display a valid sequence of events at an operator or maintenance station
independently of the time zone the time stamps are captured in.

Coordinating multiple controllers’ wall clocks

Because alarm events can originate in multiple controllers distributed over an
enterprise, it is important to provide a common time reference to set these clocks. A
controller with a wall clock that is out of synchronization with the rest of the
enterprise, will potentially log events out of the time sequence in which they actually
occurred, relative to the other controllers.
Setting the controllers’ wall clocks individually by hand is inefficient. Additionally,
clock drift naturally causes these clocks to record time further and further apart from
each other. There are several automated methods to manage the wall clocks on
multiple controllers, the easiest and most cost-effective of which is the Logix5000
Clock Update Tool.
The Logix5000 Clock Update Tool lets you view and synchronize the system time of
the controllers and devices on a network, using any computer running Microsoft
Windows and RSLinx Classic. You can also schedule automatic synchronization of all
devices. See “Create a synchronization schedule” on page 220.
The accuracy of time synchronization varies based on many factors, including the
network path and what the controller is doing when the time synchronization takes
place. Typical systems using the Logix5000 Clock Update Tool coordinate clocks to
around 300ms. If you need greater accuracy for clock synchronization than the
Logix5000 Clock Update Tool can provide, there are several other hardware-based
options to improve the accuracy of time stamps in the control system. These include
IRIGB, NTP, GPS, and IEEE 1588 Ethernet.

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Install the Logix5000 Clock Update Tool

This stand-alone tool is included on the RSLogix 5000 v. 16 CD. Using RSLinx to
browse to multiple controllers, this tool synchronizes multiple wall clocks at a user-
defined rate in a variety of controllers, including PLC-5, SLC 500s, MicroLogix, and
all Logix5000 controllers (except the SoftLogix controller which typically obtains the
time from the clock in the computer where the controller is installed).
1. On the RSLogix 5000 v. 16 CD, open the Tools folder and then double-click
Setup.exe. You can also install this tool when installing RSLogix 5000.
2. Follow the instructions on the screen to install the Logix5000 Clock Update Tool.

Start the Logix5000 Clock Update Tool

 Click Start > All Programs > Rockwell Software > RSLogix 5000 Tools >
Logix5000 Clock Update Tool > Logix5000 Clock Update Tool.

Starting the Update Tool automatically

You can start the Logix5000 Clock Update Tool automatically when you start
Windows.
 In the Logix5000 Clock Update Tool, on the File menu, click Start the
application when Windows starts.
The next time you start Windows, the Clock Update Tool opens automatically.

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Using the Logix5000 Clock Update Tool

The Logix5000 Clock Update Tool lets you view and synchronize the system time of
the controllers and devices on a network, using any computer running Microsoft
Windows and RSLinx Classic. You can also schedule automatic synchronization of all
devices.

The left pane of the Clock Update Tool window contains a tree view, with these items:
 Scheduled Synchronizations lists synchronization schedules that have been
configured. Right-click an individual schedule for more options.
 Devices lists devices that have been configured. Right-click an individual device
for more options.
 Log contains a log of the most recent events. The path indicated under the list of
events contains the location of the complete log file for the day.
Summary of steps
To synchronize devices on a schedule, complete these steps:
1. Create a synchronization schedule. This schedule determines when
synchronization takes place.
2. Create a list of devices you want to synchronize and then add them to
synchronization schedules. Devices that are not included in this list are not
synchronized.
3. Optionally, match existing devices with existing synchronization schedules. Skip
this step if you specified a synchronization schedule when you added the device.
Devices that are not matched to any synchronization schedule are not
synchronized.
This chapter includes information about each of these steps.
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Create a synchronization schedule

A synchronization schedule determines when devices are synchronized. For example,
you can schedule devices to be synchronized on a fixed time interval. You can also
configure a synchronization schedule to expire on a particular date.
To create a synchronization schedule:
1. In the Logix5000 Clock Update Tool, in the left pane, click Scheduled
Synchronizations.
2. Right-click the right pane and then click Add Event.
3. In the Update Date and Time Interval dialog box, set up a schedule for
synchronizing the date and time, and then click OK.

The new schedule information appears, as shown in the following example:

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Remove a synchronization schedule

To remove a synchronization schedule from the list, right-click the synchronization
schedule you want to remove and then click Remove Event.
Any devices that are associated with this synchronization schedule now belong to no
schedule.

Modify a synchronization schedule

1. To modify an existing synchronization schedule, right-click the synchronization
schedule and then click Modify Event.
2. In the Update Date and Time Interval dialog box, modify the schedule
information, and then click OK.

Enable or disable a synchronization schedule

Occasionally, you might want to temporarily disable a synchronization schedule,
rather than permanently delete it.
To disable a synchronization schedule:
Right-click the synchronization schedule you want to disable and then click Disable
Event on the context menu.
To enable a disabled synchronization schedule:
Right-click the disabled synchronization schedule you want to enable and then click
Enable Event on the context menu.

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Add devices
After creating one or more synchronization schedules, add the devices you want to
include in the schedules.
When you add a device, you can also match it to a synchronization schedule, or you
can add all of the devices first and then match them to synchronization schedules later.
If you add the devices later, you can add all of the devices to a single synchronization
schedule in one step.
You can add a device to only one synchronization schedule.
To add a device:
1. In the Logix5000 Clock Update Tool, in the left pane, click Devices.
2. Right-click the right pane and then click Add New Device or click the Add
Device button, shown at left.

3. In the RSLinx dialog box, browse to the device you want to add, select it, and
then click OK.
You cannot click OK unless you have selected a device that is capable of being
synchronized and has not already been configured.

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4. In the Add Device to Schedule list, select the synchronization schedule to which
you want to add the device, and then click OK.
The device is added to the list. Because this device has not yet been synchronized,
question marks (?????) appear in the Last Update column:

Remove a device
 To remove a device from the list, right-click the device you want to remove, and
then click Remove Device, or click the Remove Device button, shown at left. If
the device is associated with a particular synchronization schedule, it is removed
from that schedule.
 If you want to remove all devices from the list, right-click in the Device pane and
then click Remove All Devices. All devices are removed from the list, as well as
from their respective synchronization schedules.

View details about a device

To view the details of a particular device, right-click the device and then click Device
Properties. This shows major and minor firmware revision information, the

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computer’s time, the device’s time, the device’s response time, and the time difference
between the computer and the device.

Assign devices to synchronization schedules

When a synchronization schedule is selected in the left pane, the Device pane lists all
of the devices that are configured.

When you add a new device, you can assign it to a specific schedule at that time.
See “Add devices” on page 222.

 To add a device to this selected synchronization schedule, select the check box to
the left of the device. To remove the device from the synchronization schedule,
clear the check box beside the device.
 To add all devices to the specified schedule, select the Select All check box at the
bottom of the list.

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Synchronize devices manually

In addition to scheduling automatic synchronization, you can synchronize devices
manually.
Right-click a device and then click Synchronize Device or right-click anywhere in the
Device pane and then click Synchronize All Devices (or click the Synchronize All
Devices button on the toolbar).
Any errors in synchronization are saved to the log file. In addition, an icon appears in
the device list and in the main tree view to indicate the error. The log file indicates a
specific cause for the error, where one is known.

View the log file

To view a log of the most recent events, click Log in the left pane. The path shown
under the list of events contains the location of the complete log file for the day. The
log file is saved in .txt and .xml format.

Change the location of the log file

The default location for the synchronization log file is C:\Program Files\Rockwell
Software\RSLogix 5000 Tools\Logix5000 Clock Update Tool.
To change the location of the log file:
1. On the Log menu, click Change Log File Location (or click the Browse
button — shown at left — to the right of the Path box at the bottom of the Update
Tool window).

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2. In the Browse for Folder dialog box, select the new folder for the log files, and
then click OK. To create a new folder for the log file, click Make New Folder.

Time stamps with tag-based alarms

If your FactoryTalk Alarms and Events system includes tag-based alarm servers, the
time stamps for those alarms come from the computer that is hosting the server that is
providing tags to the alarm server (for example, RSLinx Enterprise or a third-party
Data Server). To ensure that alarms are ordered properly by time, you must
synchronize the computer’s clock with the controllers’ clocks.
The simplest way to solve this synchronization problem is to run the Logix5000 Clock
Update Tool on the same computer as the RSLinx Enterprise alarm server. This
ensures that the controller clocks all synchronize with the computer’s tag-based alarm
server. Typical systems using this method commonly achieve 300ms synchronization.
If it is not possible to install the Logix5000 Clock Update Tool on the same computer
that is hosting the data server that is providing tags for the tag-based alarm server, try
to synchronize the computer’s clock with the same NTP server that is used to
synchronize the control network, with similar network latencies.
For details about tag-based alarms, see Chapter 6, “Add a tag-based alarm server for
Logix5000, PLC-5, SLC 500, or third-party controllers”.

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Supported devices
The Logix5000 Clock Update Tool supports the following controller families:
 ControlLogix
 CompactLogix
 All CompactLogix processors can be used with ENI. CompactLogix L32E
and CompactLogix L35E can be directly connected via Ethernet or with ENI.
 Make sure that the CompactLogix port is set up for DF1 Full-duplex.
 Make sure the routing is enabled on NET-ENI (check box). Net-ENI works
with Ethernet devices drivers and not with EtherNet/IP drivers.
 DriveLogix
 FlexLogix
 PLC-5
 SLC
 MicroLogix
 PowerMonitor

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228
 Appendix H

Reference for building a distributed system

This book focuses on building an alarms and events system on a single computer.
When building a distributed system on multiple computers on the network, bear the
following guidelines in mind.

Installing FactoryTalk Alarms & Events

FactoryTalk Alarms and Events is installed with FactoryTalk View and RSLinx
Enterprise. There is no need to install FactoryTalk Alarms and Events separately
unless you have installed FactoryTalk Services Platform on a computer where you
have not installed FactoryTalk View or RSLinx Enterprise.
For details, see “Install FactoryTalk Alarms and Events manually” on page 195.

Typical distributed system on a network

In the sample distributed automation system shown on the next page, FactoryTalk
Services Platform is installed on every computer in the network.
The diagram on the next page shows just one example of a possible network layout for
a group of computers and software products participating in FactoryTalk Alarms and
Events using a FactoryTalk Network Directory. Use this diagram only as a starting
point; your own distributed system will vary.

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Typical distributed system on a network

230
 Appendix I

Language identifiers for language switching

With the FactoryTalk View language switching feature, run-time operators can view
the text strings defined in an application in up to 40 different languages. FactoryTalk
View SE Clients can run in any of the languages an application supports. In a network
distributed application or network station application, multiple clients can run in
different languages at the same time.
The languages in the following table are supported for language switching by the
application at run time. Be sure that these Windows languages are installed on the
development and client computers before trying to switch languages.
To find out which languages are installed on a computer, check the Regional Options
(Windows 2000), Regional and Language Options (Windows XP, Windows Server
2003, and Windows Vista), or Region and Language (Windows 7 and Windows Server
2008). The language in the list that has a check mark beside it is the default language.
The column heading in an Excel spreadsheet identifies the language for the text
strings in that column. For example, the language identifier for English (United
States) is en-US. To add alarm messages in multiple languages to an Excel
spreadsheet for a FactoryTalk Tag Alarm and Event Server, use the language
identifiers in the ID column. For more information, see “Enter alarm messages in
Excel”.

Language identifiers
The following table lists the language identifiers:
Language ID
Afrikaans (South Africa) af-ZA
Albanian (Albania) sq-AL
Arabic (Algeria) ar-DZ
Arabic (Bahrain) ar-BH
Arabic (Egypt) ar-EG
Arabic (Iraq) ar-IQ
Arabic (Jordan) ar-JO
Arabic (Kuwait) ar-KW
Arabic (Lebanon) ar-LB
Arabic (Libya) ar-LY
Arabic (Morocco) ar-MA

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Language ID
Arabic (Oman) ar-OM
Arabic (Qatar) ar-QA
Arabic (Saudi Arabia) ar-SA
Arabic (Syria) ar-SY
Arabic (Tunisia) ar-TN
Arabic (U.A.E.) ar-AE
Arabic (Yemen) ar-YE
Armenian (Armenia) hy-AM
Azeri (Cyrillic) az-Cyrl-AZ
Azeri (Latin) az-Latn-AZ
Basque eu-ES
Belarusian be-BY
Bosnian (Cyrillic, Bosnia and Herzegovina) bs-Cyrl-BA
Bosnian (Latin, Bosnia and Herzegovina) bs-Latn-BA
Bulgarian bg-BG
Catalan ca-ES
Chinese (Hong Kong S.A.R.) zh-HK
Chinese (Macau S.A.R.) zh-MO
Chinese (PRC) zh-CN
Chinese (Singapore) zh-SG
Chinese (Taiwan) zh-TW
Croatian (Croatia) hr-HR
Czech (Czech Republic) cs-CZ
Danish (Denmark) da-DK
Divehi (Maldives) dv-MV
Dutch (Belgium) nl-BE
Dutch (Netherlands) nl-NL
English (Australia) en-AU
English (Belize) en-BZ
English (Canada) en-CA
English (Caribbean) en-029
English (Ireland) en-IE
English (Jamaica) en-JM
English (New Zealand) en-NZ

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I • Language identifiers for language switching

Language ID
English (Philippines) en-PH
English (South Africa) en-ZA
English (Trinidad ) en-TT
English (United Kingdom) en-GB
English (United States) en-US
English (Zimbabwe) en-ZW
Estonian (Estonia) et-EE
Faroese (Faroe Islands) fo-FO
Farsi fa-IR
Filipino(Philippines) fil-PH
Finnish (Finland) fi-FI
French (Belgium) fr-BE
French (Canada) fr-CA
French (France) fr-FR
French (Luxembourg) fr-LU
French (Monaco) fr-MC
French (Switzerland) fr-CH
Frisian (Netherlands) fy-NL
FRYO (Macedonian) mk-MK
Galician gl-ES
Georgian ka-GE
German (Austria) de-AT
German (Germany) de-DE
German (Liechtenstein) de-LI
German (Luxembourg) de-LU
German (Switzerland) de-CH
Greek (Greece) el-GR
Gujarati (India) gu-IN
Hebrew (Israel) he-IL
Hindi (India) hi-IN
Hungarian (Hungary) hu-HU
Icelandic (Iceland) is-IS
Indonesian (Indonesia) id-ID
Inuktitut (Latin, Canada) iu-Latn-CA

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Language ID
Irish (Ireland) ga-IE
Italian (Italy) it-IT
Italian (Switzerland) it-CH
Japanese (Japan) ja-JP
Kannada (India) kn-IN
Kazakh (Kazakhstan) kk-KZ
Konkani (India) kok-IN
Korean (Korea) ko-KR
Kyrgyz (Cyrillic) ky-KG
Latvian (Latvia) lv-LV
Lithuanian (Lithuania) lt-LT
Luxembourgish (Luxembourg) lb-LU
Malay (Brunei Darussalam) ms-BN
Malay (Malaysia) ms-MY
Maktese mt-MT
Maori mi-NZ
Mapudungun (Chile) arn-CL
Marathi (India) mr-IN
Mohawk (Mohawk) moh-CA
Mongolian (Cyrillic) mn-MN
Norwegian (Bokmal) nb-NO
Norwegian (Nynorsk) nn-NO
Polish (Poland) pl-PL
Portuguese (Brazil) pt-BR
Portuguese (Portugal) pt-PT
Punjabi pa-IN
Quechua (Bolivia) quz-BO
Quechua (Equador) quz-EC
Quechua (Peru) quz-PE
Romanian (Romania) ro-RO
Romansh (Switzerland) rm-CH
Russian (Russia) ru-RU
Sami, Inari (Finland) smn-FI
Sami, Lule (Norway) smj-NO

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I • Language identifiers for language switching

Language ID
Sami, Lule (Sweden) smj-SE
Sami, Northern (Finland) se-FI
Sami, Northern (Norway) se-NO
Sami, Northern (Sweden) se-SE
Sami, Skolt (Finland) sms-FI
Sami, Southern (Norway) sma-NO
Sami, Southern (Sweden) sma-SE
Sanskrit - India sa-IN
Serbian (Cyrillic) sr-Cyrl-CS
Serbian (Cyrillic, Bosnia and Herzdgovina) sr-Cryl-BA
Serbian (Latin) sr-Latn-CS
Serbian (Latin, Bosnia and Herzdgovina) sr-Latn-BA
Sesotho sa Leboa (South Africa) ns-ZA
Sestswana (South Africa) tn-ZA
Slovak sk-SK
Slovenian (Slovenia) sl-SI
Spanish (Argentina) es-AR
Spanish (Bolivia) es-BO
Spanish (Chile) es-CL
Spanish (Colombia) es-CO
Spanish (Costa Rica) es-CR
Spanish (Dominican Republic) es-DO
Spanish (Ecuador) es-EC
Spanish (El Salvador) es-SV
Spanish (Guatemala) es-GT
Spanish (Honduras) es-HN
Spanish (International Sort) es-ES
Spanish (Mexico) es-MX
Spanish (Nicaragua) es-NI
Spanish (Panama) es-PA
Spanish (Paraguay) es-PY
Spanish (Peru) es-PE
Spanish (Puerto Rico) es-PR
Spanish (Traditional Sort) es-ES_tradnl

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Language ID
Spanish (Uruguay) es-UY
Spanish (Venezuela) es-VE
Swahili (Kenya) sw-KE
Swedish (Finland) sv-FI
Swedish sv-SE
Syriac (Syria) syr-SY
Tamil (India) ta-IN
Tatar (Russia) tt-RU
Telugu (India) te-IN
Thai (Thailand) th-TH
Turkish (Turkey) tr-TR
Ukrainian (Ukraine) uk-UA
Urdu (Pakistan) ur-PK
Uzbek (Cyrillic) uz-Cyrl-UZ
Uzbek (Latin) uz-Latn-UZ
Vietnamese (Vietnam) vi-VN
Welch cy-GB
Xhosa xh-ZA
Zula zu-ZA

For more information, see “Enter alarm messages in Excel” on page 178.

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Symbols
119, 120, 199, 200
???
appears at run time in graphic displays 167
.csv files
do not support Unicode in RSLogix 5000 157
.NET Framework
installing 199
.txt files
using with Unicode character sets for language switching in RSLogix 5000 157
.xls files
exporting alarm messages from Tag Alarm and Event Servers 162
.xml files
exporting alarm messages from Tag Alarm and Event Servers 162
A
about
acknowledging alarms 106
Alarm and Event Banner 11
Alarm and Event Historian 10
Alarm and Event Log Viewer 10, 11
Alarm and Event Summary 11, 76
Alarm Status Explorer 11, 76
Coordinated System Time 209
Coordinated Universal Time 210
data displayed at run time 6
database definitions 11
device-based alarm monitoring 5, 9, 13
distributed applications 229
FactoryTalk Alarms and Events 5
FactoryTalk Audit Log 10, 11
FactoryTalk Diagnostics 10
FactoryTalk Diagnostics Viewer 11
graphic displays 73
HMI Tag Alarm Monitoring 11
language switching 155
Local station applications 16, 49, 63
monitoring for alarm conditions 11
Network distributed applications 15
Network station applications 15
OPC Data Servers 6
planning your system 15
process data 6
security for alarms and events 6
setting up FactoryTalk Alarms and Events 10
software-based tag servers 5
Tag Alarm and Event Servers 61
tag-based alarm monitoring 5, 10, 11, 16, 47
time stamps for alarms 6
warning icons 54, 68
acknowledgement required
setting in RSLogix 5000 42
acknowledging alarms 106
all in event list 108
all on page 107
with comment 107
activations
planning 18
Alarm and Event Banner
about 11
 adding to graphic displays 79
definition of 11
number of alarms displayed 80
opening Alarm and Event Summary from 81
run-time columns in 105
setting up 81
silencing alarms 76
uses for 14
Alarm and Event Historian
See also Alarm and Event Log
about 10
Alarm and Event Log
See also Alarm and Event Historian
language switching 155
Alarm and Event Log Viewer 119
about 10, 11
adding to graphic displays 128
definition of 11
showing or hiding areas 130
specifying database 130
uses for 14
Alarm and Event Summary
about 11, 76
adding to graphic displays 76, 172
definition of 11
uses for 14
alarm blocks
configuring properties in RSLogix 5000 42
overview 212
alarm buffering
device-based 21
tag-based 125
alarm expressions 86
alarm history. See historical logging
alarm instructions
adding to rung in RSLogix 5000 26
built into RSLogix5000 controllers 5
alarm messages
advantages of using Excel to edit 173
creating in FactoryTalk View Studio 162
default location for exported 178
editing exported in Notepad 157, 161
editing in Alarm and Event Setup editor 162
editing in alternate languages 173
editing in Microsoft Excel 173, 178
 embedded variables in RSLogix 5000 43
exporting to Microsoft Excel 176
importing into RSLogix 5000 158, 162
importing into Tag Alarm and Event Servers 180
language switching 155
maximum length 31, 173, 179
tag-based alarm monitoring 162
testing at run time 186
uploaded to controllers by RSLinx Enterprise 155
alarm monitoring
about device-based 5, 13
about HMI Tag Alarm Monitoring 11
about tag-based 5, 11, 16, 47
adding Tag Alarm and Event Servers 68
choosing between tag- and device-based 16, 47
comparison of methods 13
how device-based works 13
how HMI Tag Alarm Monitoring works 11
how tag-based works 11
uses for device-based 14
uses for tag-based 14
Alarm Status Explorer
about 11, 76
definition of 11
enabling alarms 111
opening 111
uses for 14, 110
alarm system tags
in FactoryTalk View 14
alarms and events
See also alarm monitoring
See also alarms and events
See also FactoryTalk Alarms and Events
about acknowledging 106
about monitoring for 11
acknowledging all in event list 108
acknowledging all on page 107
acknowledging selected 106
acknowledging with comment 107
ALMA instructions 37
condition-related 119
creating in Logix5000 controllers 21
creating in RSLogix 5000 34
creating in Tag Alarm and Event Servers 69, 70, 164
default location for exported 178
 digital 24
disabling 109, 110
enabling 76, 109, 111
enabling in RSLinx Enterprise 54
enabling support for data servers 52
filtering 114
generating time-stamped using CST time 215
historical do not switch languages 153
historical logging 119
interacting with 97
monitoring 97
new graphic objects 14
no support for FactoryTalk View ME 49, 63
quantity displayed in Alarm and Event Banner 80
securing 105
setting up 10
shelving 115
silencing 76
simple 119
suppressing 112
synchronizing time stamps 209, 217
tracking-related 119
trigger conditions for digital 166
triggering in Logix5000 controllers 33
unshelving 115
unsuppressing 76, 112, 113
viewing details 107
viewing historical 137
ALMA instructions 37
connecting to input references 41
ALMD instructions
adding to RSLogix 5000 26
Always Updating option
for graphic displays in FactoryTalk View 77
analog alarms
creating in RSLogix 5000 34
animation
color 89
applications
adding Tag Alarm and Event Servers in FactoryTalk View 68
creating in FactoryTalk View 49, 63
Local station 16, 49, 63
Network distributed 15
Network station 15
opening existing in FactoryTalk View Studio 59
 opening in a different language 173
running in SE Client 100, 101
areas
not supported in Local station applications 16
showing or hiding in Alarm and Event Log Viewer 130
Audit Log. See FactoryTalk Audit Log
auditing. See historical logging
B
Banner. See Alarm and Event Banner
bits
toggling in RSLogix 5000 34
buttons
adding captions 134, 170
adding to graphic displays 131
using to switch languages at run time 168
C
captions
adding to buttons 134, 170
centering graphic displays on screen 82
clock synchronization
CompactLogix controllers 227
ControlLogix processors 227
DriveLogix controllers 227
FlexLogix controllers 227
manual 225
MicroLogix controllers 227
PLC-5 controllers 227
PowerMonitor controllers 227
SLC 500 controllers 227
using the Logix5000 Clock Update Tool 219
color animation
adding to graphic displays 89
columns
in Alarm and Event Banner at run time 105
Command Wizard 132, 170
in FactoryTalk View 81, 84, 85
in startup macros 136
commands
adding to Alarm and Event Banner 81
adding to buttons 132, 170
adding to startup macros 84, 85, 136
Display 85, 132, 170
SuppressOff 14
SuppressOn 14
comments
entering when acknowledging alarms 107
Communication Setup editor
in RSLinx Enterprise 53, 66
CompactLogix controllers
clock synchronization 227
compatible firmware revisions 3
support for alarms and events 2
comparison
between software-based and device-based alarm monitoring 13
components
of FactoryTalk Alarms and Events 9
start up in FactoryTalk View SE Client 101
condition-related events 119
configuration files
for FactoryTalk View SE Client 99, 182
connections
database, for alarm and event historical logging 123
status of Tag Alarm and Event Server at run time 105
ControlFLASH
device-based alarm monitoring 22
language switching 154
version required 1
controller instruction faceplates
adding 51, 65
controllers
compatible with Alarms and Events 3
linking tags with FactoryTalk Directory 58
selecting paths for device shortcuts in RSLinx Enterprise 55, 68
synchronizing time clocks 217
ControlLogix processors
clock synchronization 227
compatible firmware versions 3
ControlLogix Safety Processor 2
support for alarms and events 2
Coordinated System Time
about 209
generating time-stamped alarms and events 215
Coordinated Universal Time
about 210
coordinating multiple controllers’ clocks 217
CST. See Coordinated System Time
D
data
viewing for historical alarms 137
data access
FactoryTalk Administration Console 57
FactoryTalk View Studio 57
OPC programmable controllers 57
PLC-5 controllers 57
SLC 500 controllers 57
data servers
adding 51, 57
adding for PLC-5 controllers 47
adding for SLC 500 controllers 47
adding RSLinx Enterprise 47
adding to applications in FactoryTalk View 59
enabling alarms and events 52
RSLinx OPC Server versus RSLinx Remote OPC Server 60
database definitions
about 11
adding for historical alarm and event logging 122
associating with alarm servers 125
definition of 11
for historical logging 119
specifying to display in Log Viewer 130
default language
using for undefined strings 167
design
for typical distributed system 229
for typical stand-alone system 18
planning your system 18
details
viewing for alarms 107
device servers
adding for Logix5000 controllers 47
device shortcuts
creating in RSLinx Enterprise 53, 66
mapping to controller paths 55, 68
device-based alarm monitoring
about 5, 9, 13
choosing over tag-based 16, 47
compared with software-based 13
ControlFLASH 22
definition of 9
FactoryTalk Administration Console 47
FactoryTalk View Studio 47
 how it works 13
language switching 155
Logix5000 firmware 22
RSLinx Classic 22
RSLinx Enterprise 47
RSLogix 5000 22
uses for 14
devices
adding to clock synchronization schedule 222, 224
removing from clock synchronization schedule 223
synchronizing clocks manually 225
viewing clock synchronization 223
Diagnostics Viewer. See FactoryTalk Diagnostics Viewer
digital alarms
creating in RSLogix 5000 24
creating in Tag Alarm and Event Servers 164
trigger conditions 166
disabling alarms 110
in Tag Alarm and Event Servers 109
Display command 85, 132, 170
using in FactoryTalk View 81
distributed applications
about 229
typical 229
docking
graphic displays 136
documentation
finding 3
drawing objects
adding to graphic displays 88
DriveLogix controllers
clock synchronization 227
compatible firmware versions 3
DriveLogix5370 3
E
embedded variables
in RSLogix 5000 43
enabling alarms 76, 111
in Alarm Status Explorer 111
in Tag Alarm and Event Servers 109
events. See alarms and events
existing applications. See applications
expressions
adding functions to graphic displays 90
in alarms 86
F
FactoryTalk Administration Console
as alternative to FactoryTalk View Studio 58, 65
data access 57
device-based alarm monitoring 47
language switching 154
tag-based alarm monitoring 61
FactoryTalk Alarms and Events
about 5
compatible controllers 3
components 9
installing manually 195
new graphic objects 14
setting up 10
version required 1
versus HMI Tag Alarm Monitoring 5, 6
FactoryTalk Audit Log
about 10, 11
definition of 11
FactoryTalk Diagnostics
about 10
FactoryTalk Diagnostics Viewer
about 11
definition of 11
FactoryTalk Directory
linking with controller tags 58
FactoryTalk documentation
finding 3
FactoryTalk Security
and alarms and events 6
FactoryTalk Services Platform
version required 1
FactoryTalk View ME 49, 63
See also FactoryTalk View Studio
FactoryTalk View SE 97
See also FactoryTalk View SE Client
See also FactoryTalk View Studio
documentation 3
new graphic objects for alarms and events 14
version required 1
FactoryTalk View SE Client 97, 119, 120
auto logout period 102
configuring 99, 182
language switching 154
running applications 100, 101
 setting up run-time window 102
starting from within FactoryTalk View Studio 138
startup components 101
FactoryTalk View Studio 73, 120
See also FactoryTalk View ME
See also FactoryTalk View SE
adding data servers 59
adding Tag Alarm and Event Servers 68
as alternative to FactoryTalk Administration Console 58, 65
Command Wizard 81
creating alarm messages 162
creating applications 49, 63
creating graphic displays 73
data access 57
device-based alarm monitoring 47
historical logging 120
language switching 154
opening existing applications 59
saving graphic displays 78, 173
setting up graphic displays 77, 83, 135
starting the FactoryTalk View SE Client 138
tag-based alarm monitoring 61
version required 1
filtering alarms 114
firmware. See Logix5000 firmware
FlexLogix controllers
clock synchronization 227
support for alarms and events 2
function block diagrams
in RSLogix 5000 35, 36
functions
adding to graphic displays 90
G
getting started 8
graphic displays
See also graphic objects
about 73
adding buttons 131
adding drawing objects 88
centering on screen 82
creating in FactoryTalk View 75
creating in FactoryTalk View Studio 73
docking to bottom of screen 86
docking to top of screen 136
performance 77
refreshing automatically 77
saving 78, 84, 93, 131, 135, 173
sizing 77, 83, 135
test running 94
title bars 77, 83, 135
graphic objects
Alarm and Event Banner 14, 79
Alarm and Event Log Viewer 14, 128
Alarm and Event Summary 14, 76, 172
Alarm Status Explorer 14
HMI Tag Alarm Log Viewer 14
HMI Tag Alarm Summary 14
new alarms and events objects 14
H
Help
finding 3
Historian. See Alarm and Event Historian
historical alarms
do not switch languages 153
viewing 137
historical logging
associating databases with alarm servers 125
database definitions 119
enabling in RSLinx Enterprise 125
enabling in Tag Alarm and Event Servers 125
language switching 155
setting up for alarms and events 119
HMI Tag Alarm Log Viewer 14
HMI Tag Alarm Monitoring
about 11
how it works 11
versus FactoryTalk Alarms and Events 5, 6
HMI Tag Alarm Summary 14
I
icons
about warning icons 54, 68
input references
connecting to input of ALMA block 41
in RSLogix 5000 39
install
FactoryTalk Alarms and Events manually 195
Logix5000 Clock Update Tool 218
Microsoft SQL Server 19, 197
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Express 197
planning 18
J
JSR instructions
adding to RSLogix 5000 44
K
KEPWare OPC data server
support for alarms and events 3
L
labels
adding to buttons 134
language switching 153
about 155
Alarm and Event Banner 189
Alarm and Event Log Viewer 190
Alarm and Event Summary 189
alarm messages in FactoryTalk View Studio 162
ControlFLASH 154
device-based alarm messages 155
displaying undefined strings in default language 167
editing alarm messages 173
editing applications in different languages 173
FactoryTalk Administration Console 154
FactoryTalk View SE Client 154
FactoryTalk View Studio 154
historical alarms do not switch languages 153
how it works 155
importing alarm messages into Tag alarm and Event Servers 180
items that do not switch languages 153
Logix5000 controllers 154
Microsoft Excel 154
PLC-5 controllers 154
RSLinx Classic 154
RSLinx Enterprise 154, 155
RSLogix 5 154
RSLogix 500 154
RSLogix 5000 154
SLC 500 controllers 154
Tag Alarm and Event Servers 162
tag-based alarm messages 162
testing at run time 186
text that does not switch languages at run time 189
text that switches languages at run time 189
time and date formats do not switch 153
tips for setting up 188
.txt files for Unicode character sets in RSLogix 5000 157
Unicode character sets in RSLogix 5000 157
using buttons to switch languages at run time 168
languages
editing alarm messages 173
editing applications in different 173
importing alarm messages into Tag Alarm and Event Servers 180
limits
 controller specifications 191
tested system limits 191, 192
log file
changing location for Logix5000 Clock Update Tool 225
viewing for Logix5000 Clock Update Tool 225
Log Viewer. See Alarm and Event Log Viewer
logging. See historical logging
logic
creating new in RSLogix 5000 24
Logix Designer
version required 1
Logix5000 Clock Update Tool 217
changing location of log file 225
installing 218
starting automatically 218
synchronizing clocks 219
synchronizing clocks manually 225
viewing log file 225
Logix5000 controllers 33
See also Logix5000 firmware
about built-in alarm instructions 5
acknowledgement required 42
adding device servers 47
ALMA instructions 37
analog alarms 34
configuring alarm blocks 42
creating alarms 21
defining routines 34
digital alarms 24
downloading programs to 32
embedded variables in alarm messages 43
firmware required for device-based alarm monitoring 16
function block diagrams 35, 36
input references 39
JSR instructions 44
language switching 154
mapping to device shortcuts in RSLinx Enterprise 55, 68
Run Mode 45
support for alarms and events 2, 3
tag-based alarm monitoring 10, 61
tags 40
triggering alarms 33
Who Active 45
Logix5000 firmware
device-based alarm monitoring 22
 revisions compatible with Alarms and Events 3
when to update 19
logout
in FactoryTalk View SE Client 102
M
macros
creating 135
editing 136
saving 86, 137
startup 84, 135, 136
manuals
finding 3
maximum length
alarm messages 31, 173, 179
MicroLogix controllers
clock synchronization 227
Microsoft Excel
editing alarm messages 173, 178
exporting alarm messages from Tag Alarm and Event Servers 176
language switching 154
Microsoft SQL Server
historical logging 119, 120
installing 19, 197
version required 2
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Express
configuring Windows firewall 202
install batch file 201
installing 197
monitoring for alarms
about 11
about device-based 13
about HMI Tag Alarm Monitoring 11
about tag-based 11
choosing between tag- and device-based 16, 47
comparison of methods 13
how device-based works 13
how HMI Tag Alarm Monitoring works 11
how tag-based works 11
uses for device-based 14
uses for tag-based 14
MSXML6
installing for SQL Server 199
N
Notepad
editing exported alarm messages 157
O
objects. See graphic objects
OPC Data Servers
about 6
OPC data servers
adding to applications in FactoryTalk View 59
RSLinx OPC Server vs. RSLinx Remote OPC Server 60
specifying name 60
support for alarms and events 3
tag-based alarm monitoring 10
OPC Data Servers. See OPC Data Servers
OPC programmable controllers
data access 57
P
performance
controller specifications 191
of graphic displays 77
tested system limits 192
tested system performance 191
planning your system 15
distributed applications 229
install and activation 18
local applications 18
PLC-5 controllers
adding data servers for 47
adding Tag Alarm and Event Servers for 61
clock synchronization 227
data access 57
language switching 154
support for alarms and events 3
tag-based alarm monitoring 10, 61
PowerMonitor controllers
clock synchronization 227
process data
about 6
ProgID
for data servers 60
programs
downloading to controllers from RSLogix 5000 32, 45, 159, 162
projects
downloading to controllers from RSLogix 5000 159, 162
Q
question marks
appear at run time in graphic displays 167
R
required hardware 2
required software 1
resizing
graphic displays 77, 83, 135
Rockwell Automation Device Server. See RSLinx Enterprise
routines
defining in RSLogix 5000 34
routing services
for alarms and events 10
RSLinx Classic
device-based alarm monitoring 22
documentation 4
downloading programs to controllers 32, 45
language switching 154
support for PLC-5 and SLC 500 controllers 3, 61
tag-based alarm monitoring 10, 61, 154
version required 1
RSLinx Enterprise 10, 73, 97, 120
adding data servers 47, 51
associating databases for historical logging 125
Communication Setup editor 53, 66
controller paths for device shortcuts 55, 68
device shortcuts 53, 66
device-based alarm monitoring 47
documentation 4
enabling alarms and events 52, 54
historical logging 120
language switching 154, 155
uploads alarm messages to controllers 155
version required 1
RSLinx Gateway
tag-based alarm monitoring 10
RSLinx OPC Server
versus RSLinx Remote OPC Server 60
RSLinx Remote OPC Server
versus RSLinx OPC Server 60
RSLogix 5 57
language switching 154
tag-based alarm monitoring 61
version required 1
RSLogix 500 57
language switching 154
tag-based alarm monitoring 61
version required 1
RSLogix 5000
acknowledgement required 42
adding alarm instructions 26
ALMA instructions 37
ALMD instructions 26
analog alarms 34
configuring alarm blocks 42
creating new logic 24
creating tags 25
.csv format does not support Unicode 157
device-based alarm monitoring 22
documentation 3
downloading programs to controllers 32, 45, 159, 162
embedded variables in alarm messages 43
function block diagrams 35, 36
importing alarm messages 158, 162
input references 39
JSR instructions 44
language switching 154
Run Mode 45
switching controllers to Run Mode 33
toggling bits 34
triggering alarms 33
version required 1
Who Active 45
RSLogix Emulate 5000
support for alarms and events 3
Run Mode
for Logix5000 controllers 33, 45
run time
about displayed data at 6
interacting with alarms 97
monitoring alarms 97
setting up window in FactoryTalk View SE Client 102
S
schedules
adding devices for synchronizing clocks 222, 224
creating for synchronizing clocks 220
enabling or disabling for synchronizing clocks 221
modifying for synchronizing clocks 221
removing devices for synchronizing clocks 223
removing for synchronizing clocks 221
security
auto logout in FactoryTalk View SE Client 102
for alarms and events 105
services
routing for alarms and events 10
shelving alarms 115
shortcuts. See device shortcuts
silencing alarms 76
simple events 119
sizing
graphic displays 77, 83, 135
SLC 500 controllers
adding data servers for 47
adding Tag Alarm and Event Servers for 61
clock synchronization 227
data access 57
language switching 154
support for alarms and events 3
tag-based alarm monitoring 10, 61
SoftLogix controllers
compatible firmware versions 3
support for alarms and events 3
version required 1
software
required 1
software-based alarm monitoring
compared with device-based 13
software-based tag servers. See Tag Alarm and Event Servers
stand-alone applications. See applications
stand-alone system
design for typical 18
startup components
in FactoryTalk View SE Client 101
startup macros
adding commands 85, 136
creating 135
editing 136
 for graphic displays in FactoryTalk View 84
saving 137
specifying in FactoryTalk View SE Client 101
Summary. See Alarm and Event Summary
Suppressed list
in FactoryTalk View SE 14
suppressing alarms 112
SuppressOff command 14
SuppressOn command 14
switching languages. See language switching
switching to Run Mode 33
synchronization schedules
adding devices for synchronizing clocks 222, 224
creating for synchronizing clocks 220
enabling or disabling for synchronizing clocks 221
modifying for synchronizing clocks 221
removing devices for synchronizing clocks 223
removing for synchronizing clocks 221
synchronizing controller clocks 217
system performance. See performance
system tags
in FactoryTalk View 14
system time 210
T
Tag Alarm and Event Servers
about 5, 61
adding for PLC-5 controllers 61
adding for SLC 500 controllers 61
adding for third-party controllers 61
adding in FactoryTalk View Studio 68
adding to applications 68
connection status at run time 105
creating alarms 69, 164
enabling historical logging 125
exporting alarm messages in Excel format 162
exporting alarm messages in XML format 162
exporting alarm messages to Microsoft Excel 176
language switching 162
time stamps 226
uses for 3
tag-based alarm monitoring
about 5, 10, 11, 16, 47
adding Tag Alarm and Event Servers 68
creating alarms in Tag Alarm and Event Servers 69
definition of 10
FactoryTalk View Studio 61
how it works 11
language switching 162
Logix5000 controllers 10, 61
OPC data servers 10
PLC-5 controllers 10, 61
RSLinx Classic 10, 61, 154
RSLinx Gateway 10
RSLogix 5 61
RSLogix 500 61
SLC 500 controllers 10, 61
third-party controllers 10
uses for 14
tag-based alarms
time stamps 226
tags
creating in RSLogix 5000 25
in RSLogix 5000 40
test run
graphic displays 94
third-party controllers
adding data servers for 57
adding Tag Alarm and Event Servers for 61
 support for alarms and events 3
tag-based alarm monitoring 10
time and date formats
do not switch languages 153
time stamps 217
about 6
for Tag Alarm and Event Servers 226
synchronizing for alarms 209
synchronizing manually in the Logix5000 Clock Update Tool 225
time synchronization 217
for controllers 217
tips
for setting up language switching 188
title bars
in graphic displays 77, 83, 135
tracking-related events 119
traditional alarm monitoring
compared with device-based 13
triangles. See warning icons
typical stand-alone system
design for 18
U
undefined strings
displaying in default language 167
Unicode character sets
language switching in RSLogix 5000 157
using .txt files with RSLogix 5000 157
unshelving alarms 115
unsuppressing alarms 76, 112, 113
user’s guides. See documentation
uses for device-based alarm monitoring 14
uses for tag-based alarm monitoring 14
UTC. See Coordinated Universal Time
V
variables. See embedded variables
W
wall clock time 209
warning icons
about 54, 68
Who Active
in RSLogix 5000 45
windows
docked to bottom of screen 86
docking to top of screen 136
setting up for run time in FactoryTalk View SE Client 102
Windows 2000
version required 1
Windows firewall
configuring for SQL Server 202
Windows Installer 4.5
installing for SQL Server 199
Windows Powershell 1.0
installing for SQL Server 200
Windows Server 2003
version required 1
Windows XP
version required 1
Y
yellow triangles. See warning icons